


Legacies

by Pryo_Kalon



Category: Creepypasta - Fandom
Genre: Abusive Parents, Arranged Marriage, Blood and Gore, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Child Abuse, Dark Elves, Elemental Magic, Elves, F/F, F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Multi, My First AO3 Post, My First Fanfic, OOC Creepypastas, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Alternating, POV Third Person, Past Child Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Platonic Relationships, Polyamory, Psychological Trauma, Relationship(s), Romantic Soulmates, Teen Romance, Trans Character, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character, Underage Drinking, Unhealthy Relationships, Unrequited Crush, Witches, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-16 09:53:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 37
Words: 34,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29698752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pryo_Kalon/pseuds/Pryo_Kalon
Summary: The Adler twins were born of a "broken" promise of a son. After they were born they were ignored by their mother, just being reminders of the life she "could have had". Until they meet one of her mother's "friends" a man named Timothy Wright. After their mother gives birth to a baby boy and tries to dig up his history, their house goes up in flames, killing their mother.MJ Leblanc was adopted into the Adler family after his mother's death. Being only a year younger than The Adler twins they grew close quickly. Later 2 more kids are adopted.Eurydice Laflamme Akash was raised by their mothers after their father left when she was a baby. Their mothers were also Ingrid's best friends. So when her mothers die in a car accident and her extended family die from a meeting gone wrong she is put with the Adler family for safety.Mika Adler, after her mother rampages and kills three women and hundreds of members from a witch coven, she is abandoned then taken in by the Adlers.This should be fun.
Relationships: Kagekao (Creepypasta)/Sexual Offenderman/Original Character, Slender Man/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	1. The Adler Twins

Endora stood outside of the Adler family's birthing room. She could not believe that this was happening, she was angrier than anything. She and her sister were only 19 years old and her sister- as the reckless child she was- giving birth to twin girls.

Then she heard the sound of footsteps running from down the hall. Her brother-in-law had a panicked look on his normally happy face.

"Did I make it!?" The man cried out.

"Yes you did," Endora snapped "Now go inside and be with your wife!"

Heath sprinted towards the door she stood by, and ripped it open, and sped to the side of a young woman with blonde hair and orange eyes. _That poor fool,_ she thought. She knew that he was hopeful the babies would be his.

**_~_ ** **_9 months ago~_ **

Two sisters sat across from each other. Both looked too young to hold those expressions.

The woman with brown hair and orange eyes stared coldly at the woman with blonde hair. The woman with blonde hair cheeks were streaked with tears.

"I don't know what to do, sissy!" Cried the blonde girl, she sounded more like a hurt child than a desperate woman.

"You made your bed, Ingrid." Endora growled, "Now lie in it!"

"But I'm supposed to get married in a month! These kids aren't his! You know that he can call off the marriage."

Endora rubbed her temples. She knew that her family's reputation was at stake. "Tell him."

Ingrid stared straight into her sister's eyes, she could not believe that her sister had just said that. But whatever Endora said she followed.

**_~Present~_ **

A woman screams echoed threw out the walls of the Adler mansion. They were lucky that they were miles away from the neighbors and surrounded by woods.

About an hour later Endora was let into the room. Ingrid held a small blonde haired baby wrapped in a pink blanket with a pink beanie on her head her skin was a soft cream color that matched her mothers. Her cheeks were pink and chubby and she slept soundly.

Endora looked at Heath who held another newborn, wrapped in a purple blanket. She noted that both of them wore anxious expression.

Walking to the other side of the bed she realized why. The baby in the peach blanket had rich sepia-colored skin, her hair was platinum blonde and she had small curls.

She then saw the infants eyes, one of them was the signature orange color of the Adler family and the other one was a dark sea green.

Heath did not seem angry, he just appeared to be disheartened he had wanted it to be a lie. Some sort of cruel joke, but he had to face this reality. But he made a promise to himself, and these girls, that he would never mistreat them.

They were his own, besides he had already gotten attached. He looked down at the child he was holding. Her eyes carefully studied him, and then she closed them. Her curly hair turned from it's silver to his cinnamon hair.

When she opened her eyes, they matched his amber ones.

"What... The... Fuck...?" Endora murmured.

| ** _Somewhere in the woods|_**

Four freakishly tall men walked through the woods.

One of them wore a smile on his face and sported a Polka Dot suit with a top hat.

Another wore a trench coat with nothing underneath but a loose black-tie, grey pants, and black combat boots, although he did wear a fedora on the top of his head, the only facial feature he had was a mouth full sharp teeth that poked out due to his smirk.

The third man seemed to wear more fashionable clothes, a white undershirt with a brown sweater vest and glasses.

The last tall man had an aura of sternness, he wore a black three-piece suit with a red tie.

As they were walking the man in the suit stopped. "Are you ok Slendy?" Asked the man in the Polka-dotted suit.

"My forearm feels like it's on fire," Slender remarked, pulling up his sleeve. He gazed at his arm, an outline of purple feather had begun to appear. He went stiff in shock, Ender people were not supposed to have soulmates.

His brothers surrounded him, they all stared in disbelief. They stood like that for about a minute, the silence and tension were broken when the man in the trench coat snickered.

"And here I was thinking that Slender would never get a soulmate!"

If it were a different situation, Slender would have started to fight his elder brother, but even _he_ thought he would never have a soulmate. Though he supposed it was a slim possibility since his mother... but when his grandmother...  


  


"I'm so happy for you!!" Splendor cried out happily.  


  


"Good for you brother," Trender commented.  


  


Slender peered down at his arm, sighing, before covering his arm with his sleeve. Grumbling about how long it would take his soulmate to find him, and how long he'd begrudgingly wait.  


  



	2. MJ Leblanc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tw Child abuse

MJ sat on the chair of the mechanic shop their mother worked at. The smell of tires and oil-filled their nose but they were used to it. They held a small picture book in their hands, they did the best they could at reading it, they were only 4 years olds, words had really only started to click.

The sound of a car made them jump.

  
When the car pulled into the shop, 2 women and a teenage girl hopped out of the car. MJ's mother rolled out from under another car and sat up.

"Hey, Ingrid,"

"We need some repairs, Dar."

"What happened?"

"We went to make a deal with a Company," Ingrid said, plopping down right next to MJ. "Turns out the Sullivans got to them first. We got caught in a cast out. And one of em' hit the engine."

"I told you they were untrustworthy." Endora barked, with a hint of anger in her voice.

"Are we not going to discuss that I almost got shot!" Odessa, the teenage girl, yelled.

"We'll tackle that later," Ingrid said, pulling out a wad of cash from her bag. "Will it cover the repairs?"

"It always does." Darcy laughed, taking the crash from her old friend's hand.

MJ turned their head towards Ingrid, "Can I go visit Edith this Saturday, Miss?" MJ had become a friend of the young Adler girl, and would on occasion visit her on weekends.

"Of course you can," Ingrid chuckled, but her smile didn't meet her eyes. "As long if your mother agrees."

"Mama, can I visit Edith this Saturday?" MJ called out, watching their mother pull out a toolbox.

"Yes sweetheart, but what time?"

Ingrid yelled out an answer before MJ could ask. "She can come over at 9, that's when we have breakfast."

"Alright then, 9 it is." Darcy declared, whilst opening up the hood of the car, grimacing as she turned away.

**~That Saturday~**

MJ swung their feet, sitting in the back seat of the old run-down car. Although the motor and the tires were always in good shape, the car was anything but pretty. 

It took about an hour to get to the Adler mansion, but since their mother was used to the road it took about 45 minutes. 

But 45 minutes to a four-year-old seemed like an eternity. MJ stared at themself in the reflection of the car window. They always like to stare at their pretty purple eye since they were to sit in front of a mirror. When they weren't in the hospital, of course. 

Although there were times when they remembered that they also had another cool eye, a milk-white eye that had run in the family since the medieval age. MJ was a very bright and smart child, they had started to talk around 1 year old and walked too. 

They also knew all the colors of the rainbow their ABCs and other basics that not many 4-year-olds knew. They had also begun to learn numbers and read on their own. But one thing they learned and held to their heart was never, ever, mention their father. 

They learned that asking where their dad was resulted in their mother sobbing herself to sleep, even though the sound was quite it would still make it harder to sleep than it already was. The thin walls of their old crappy apartment didn't help.

_Bump, bump, bump!_ MJ was brought back to earth by the sound and feel of the bumpy driveway of the Adler mansion. After about 5 minutes, it came into view. 

Standing at the tall front door was a little girl jumping up and down, her blonde curls bouncing along with her. 

Once MJ's mother pulled up along the path leading to the Mansion, the young girl flew off of her porch and scuttled to the car. MJ unbuckled themself and hopped out. Just as they closed the door the wind was knocked out of them. 

They were engulfed in a tight hug that they soon returned it. MJ was a very strong four years old and only got stronger by the day, despite how easily they got sick. So, with all of the might they had, they leaned back lifting Edith off of the pavement. 

Edith giggled, despite the fact she was older, she was shorter than MJ by half an inch. Once they put Edith on the pavement, they found themself being dragged by the hand. 

  
They looked over to their mother one last time, the blonde woman waved gently with a sad soft smile on her face. MJ remembered what they were told that morning.

-

"Remember, if Ingrid gets mean, ask Kimora or Heath to call me." Their mother sternly said. "She's very mean to Edith, and she doesn't care if you or the other girls see her be cruel to her."

"Yes Mama, I know..." MJ hesitated for a moment. "Why can't we help her mama? Why does she have to stay with her Mama if she's hurting her?"

Their mother sighed, and rubbed the bump that had to become visible on her belly. "I would take Edith away from her Mama if I had a chance, but I can't because her family is to powerful..."

She sighed again and grimaced. "If I was to make them mad, who knows what they would do... To Edith and us...So for now we have to watch until there's a chance to help her, alright?"

MJ nodded. "I can protect you! I can protect you and Edith and my baby sister!" They patted their mother's baby bump. "I'll protect all of you! I'm strong- I'm not scared of Ingrid!"

She sadly smiled and moved MJ into her lap, cradling her eldest baby in her arms, for the last time.

-

As soon as they entered the house the smell of pancakes and bacon-filled their nose. Once they stopped thinking about the food they realized they were sitting down at a big dining table. Edith happily sat down next to them, across the table was Heath, Edith's dad. Sitting down next to him was Edith's twin sister, who looked like she was plotting how she could push the friends away from each other. 

MJ looked around the dining room, it had never failed to amaze them.

  
"What would you like to drink, Mary Jane?" The man asked softly.

"Orange juice, please." 

"Sounds good." Heath gently flicked his hand over the glass, the drink metabolized out of thin air. MJ gaped at the sight even though they had seen it so many times already. 

Breakfast was soon brought out, mountains of pancakes were brought into the dining room. After the food was set the residents of the Adler family mansion flooded in. They dug into their meals like it was their very last. 

After the meal was done the older children went out to do their studies while the younger ones ran off somewhere.

  
-

The twins and MJ treaded threw the woods that surrounded the house. Picking up a pretty rock and random long sticks. Unknowingly going farther in. They stopped wandering once they found a field with gorgeous wildflowers.

They played a couple of rounds of tag and hide and go seek. While they playing they heard the sound of bells. The children turned towards the sound. An extremely tall man stood at the edge of the woods. He wore a polka-dotted suit. 

Edith gasped, before running to the entity, Skylar following her. MJ ran quickly to them, afraid of what that being could do. 

The man picked up Edith and Skylar. Once MJ stopped in front of him, he stiffened. His extremely happy smile turn into a frown.

"You have a very pretty eye." He said, a hint of worry in his voice. He put the girls down and kneeled in front of MJ. "What's your name?"

" _Her_ name is Mary Jane," Edith answered happily. "But we call her MJ!" 

Splendor nodded, before standing straight up. "I have to go now, girls. I'm sorry I could not stay long."

"No!" The twins cried. 

"I know, I know. But you girls should get home." 

"Alright..." 

The man in the polka-dotted suit waved a Goodbye before disappearing. 

_**~** _ _**Once the kids are back~** _

Edith stood in front of her _**very**_ angry mother. She had tried to explain they had hadn't left the grounds, but that did not slide with her mother. 

Once Edith started crying her mother grabbed her wrist and raised her hand. She had begun to hit the poor girl with it while screaming curse words at the small child. 

The woman only stopped when Corey, Heath's son from his first marriage, threw a rubber ball at her with all the might an 8-year-old had. 

Skylar pulled her sister away from their mother. Ingrid stopped screaming at the poor girl once her husband came out of the house pulled her inside of the mansion. MJ sat on the grass comforting their bruised and beaten friend. Corey made his way over. 

"Should should call your mom," Corey muttered. "I wouldn't come over for the next few weeks if I were you." He then pulled out a small flip phone from his pocket. He asked for the number and then handed the phone to MJ.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"C-c..could you come to pick me u-u..up."

"Mary Jane?" Darcy said she paused for a second before responding "I'll be there in a bit. Stay away from the woods and stay away from Ingrid, I love you so much baby."

_**~At Slender Mansion~** _

Splendor stood shakily wring his hands. He stood in his human form, which meant that the rest of the slender brother needed to be in their human forms. Slender sat in his office chair rubbing his temples. 

The door to the office opened, a man with brown hair and navy blue eyes walked into the room. He looked annoyed, to say the least. "Thank you for coming Trender," Slender commented.

  
"Well, I couldn't pass up some good gossip on Offender." Trender chuckled. "Speak of the devil."

Offender stood with his arms across his chest, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, "You called?"

"Yes, Sple-"

"I FOUND YOUR SOULMATE!" Splendor blurted out. All of the brothers went silent for a few moments before Splendor whispered, "Her name is Mary Jane, but she is still a young child. So I expect you to stay away from her until she is at least a teen."

Offender caught himself before he spoke a word. He looked at the expressions of his brothers, His eyes landed on Slender's truly surprised face. He knew that his brothers did not trust him. "Well you idiots can worry about your soulmates, I'm going out for drinks." He mocked, and then teleported away.


	3. In which everything starts to go wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tw Death and funeral.

MJ hugged their knees to their chest. A bundle of pink roses in their small hands. They gazed out at the people attending her mother's funeral.

Edith sat next to them, her curly hair pulled back into a braid. They both had their backs pressed up against the window. There was an unspoken understanding between them. 

MJ placed their head on Edith's shoulder. At first, it was just quiet sniffling but the sniffling turned into choked back sobs. 

The pink roses dropped to the floor, MJ wrapped their arms around Edith. They buried their face into Edith's shoulder. Sobbing and screaming, recalling the events of being told her mother was gone in their mind, it hurt even worse than when their grandma died. 

-

MJ sat on the dimly lit porch. The sun had set and MJ'S mother had yet to arrive. The breeze blew the child's wispy blonde hair around. The door of the Adler mansion creaked open. 

Edith emerged from the house a knitted blanket in her small arms. MJ stared at Ediths bandaged arms and head. She happily plopped down right next to them. The blanket covered draped over both their shoulders and backs. They peered out into the moonlit driveway. 

It seemed like hours, but the door once again creaked open, but the sounds of cries soon drowned out the creaking. The children turned to the door. Ingrid gripped her phone, tears poured from her eyes. "Mary Jane.... I'm sorry..." The oranged eyed woman took in a shaky breath. "Your mommy is gone." 

MJ knew what that meant, despite being 4 they knew what that meant. Their grandmother had died a couple of months ago. MJ felt hot water trail down their face, their face paled even more, and they shook.

-

After the funeral, MJ drifted threw the woods like a ghost. As they walked every step was quite. They came across a fallen tree and sat on it, which took some climbing. 

MJ once again began to cry but this time it was a small quite cry. They hugged their knees to their chest, and hid their face, muffling their already quiet cry. 

They sensed that someone had come up behind them. They didn't really care and didn't bother to lift their head up and check to see who it was. They began to feel nauseous and had a small headache, they didn't care much. They felt something be placed next to them, and then felt someone comfortingly rub their back, and then the feeling was gone. 

They took a few moments to steady themself, and then looked at what had been placed next to them. A single white rose layed next to them. They wiped the tears off their face and examined the rose. They made sure not to prick themself. 

For some reason it made them feel calm. The rose comforted them in ways words couldn't explain. They thought back to when their grandma died. White Rose's meant something important that they couldn't remember.

MJ hooked the rose to the belt of the black dress they wore. Hopped down from the trunk of the tree. They walked back from where they had come from, just a little more calmer. 

And a little less protected from monsters that lurked in the shadows and from their father too.


	4. T is for Trauma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CW Domestic abuse

hair and teal eyes. She had casts on one of her arms and cast on both her legs. "This your new home, do you want to meet the others?" She asked the child.

The child nodded. They fiddled with their necklace that held her mother's wedding rings. The car accident had only happened months ago and now the rest of her family was gone. They were quite curious to see their new family.

She smiled as she saw a couple of little girls pop their head into the foyer to catch a glimpse of her. A little red headed girl waved to her, her dark blue eyes were big and innocent.

-

A large group of children played in the front yard of the Alder mansion. A sound of a car engine quickly stopped the game. A black car pulled up in front of the house. A man who wore a faded yellow leather jack and a red flannel shirt. A cigarette hung out of his mouth. He promptly put it out once Ingrid ran towards him.

The children had grown used to this, whenever the other adults left for trips or vacations he came over.

Ingrid threw her arms around his neck, as he wrapped his arms around her waist. They kissed, Corey jokingly gagged which caused the other kids to laugh. They were far away enough not to be heard.

Once they stopped kissing, they made their way to the house. The children went back to playing once the couple disappeared from sight.

If looked around at the woods they might have caught a glimpse of another man in an orange hoodie, holding a camera poised right at them. But of course, they didn't.

_**Hoodies pov** _

I shoved my hands into my pockets. Slender slightly growled, we were allowed to date, to love anyone we wanted. The only exception was the Adlers and the Dark Elves, and of course only the people that the Council allowed us to date.

He slammed the camera shut. I could feel his sigma spike. "Let's hope you can justify why you broke the most simple rules." He growled.

Masky trembled, in front of him stood the faceless man who controlled his life at that point. He could feel the sigma in the air spike and his ears rang, his stomach churned. This was going to be hard to explain.

**_~third POV~_ **

_It was a year later, Masky was allowed to see Ingrid. They were reckless, didn't care what the consequences that came from their actions. That's why she died, she didn't realize that her life would end_ _because_ _of her recklessness._

Ingrid held her newborn baby to her chest. He had small warm mocha-colored eyes and bleach blond hair. He had the same light complexion as her but had the face of Tim, but with a cute nose.

Instead of Heath being next to her, Tim was at her side. He pushed her hair out of her face. The door was pushed open and two little girls walked in.

"Skylar, come here," Ingrid said. The girl with golden blonde hair sat next to her mother. Ingrid's eyes peered at Edith, she sucked her teeth. "Edith, Honey, could you go check on your grandmother and tell her the baby was born."

Hurt filled the child's eyes, she turned on her heel and scurried out of the room. Tim brushed it off as nothing, he knew that Ingrid liked Skylar better than Edith and he didn't look deeper into it.

-

Edith slammed into Kimora, nearly knocking the woman down. "Whoa!" Kimora yelped. She turned her attention on to her niece, who was whimpering and sniffling.

_**A few weeks later** _

Ingrid yelled at Heath, who had his head tilted down. His hands lay at his sides, taking in all of the insults that came from his wife.

Edith peaked out into the living room, fear-filled her eyes as she saw her mother berate the kindest man she knew.

Ingrid yelled something about a lady named Yvette, who Edith vaguely remembered as her ballet teacher who often made her father smile so very brightly.

The young witch retreated when her mother threw a vase at her father. She ran to her room, it was was like any other room that a rich spoiled kid could have. The only downfall is that it wasn't soundproof.

She could hear screaming and yelling, then she heard her brother cry. She hopped off her bed and went to the nursery.

The infant wailed and screamed in his crib, the small girl pushed down the safety bars and picked the baby up. Who calmed at the feeling of his big sister holding him, she was the only one who did that, not even her mother held him for no reason, she only held him to feed him and stop him from crying.

He was heavy but Edith was very strong and had picked up a cinder block before with ease. The seven-year-old held the boy the way she had seen her mother did.

She sat down in the oak rocking chair by the window. The baby's cry ceased and he returned to slumber despite the family war that could be heard throughout the house.

Her gaze fixated on the outside of the window, she missed her friend in the polka-dotted suit. He was one of her only friends, besides her siblings.

Apart from her small seven-year-old self knew that he was still watching over her. Whenever she is a dangerous situation she was somehow always turned out safe.

She felt safe- most of the time- it was only when one of her cousin's husbands came over is when she felt unsafe.

 _ **Time skip**_ _**(around 5 or so months, because Owen was born in late winter/spring and it was in the summer**_ _ **time**_ _ **that the fire happened.)**_

Edith sat on her bed reading a book that had been assigned to her. She did her best to ignore the yelling downstairs. Her baby brother laid next to her sleeping peacefully. He had grown used to hearing the noise.

Edith looked across from her, MJ cuddled Mika and slept peacefully. Eurydice fiddled with a pipe cleaner and some paper while sitting on the bean bag they had. Skylar was at her extra ballet classes (which Skyar hated).

Everyone hoped Skylar would become a prodigy, they did there best to get her interested but it never worked. She perfered to sit and observe those around her or tend to studies and her little plant on her bedside table.

In an instant, a burst of nausea flooded Edith's senses. She quickly abandoned her book and rushed to the bathroom.

She leaned over the toilet and vomited. A red liquid filled the toilet and left a lingering smell of blood. In the past few months, Edith was increasingly vomiting blood, and memory loss became a major problem. Paranoia hit her like a baseball bat but it went ignored by her family.

Though her father did his best to persuade Ingrid into taking her to the hospital. He was on the verge of going to Isla, her grandmother.

She flushed the toilet and brushed her teeth. She made her way back to her room when she overheard the shouts.

"I CAN'T TELL YOU ABOUT MY JOB OR WHERE I LIVE!"

"TIM WE HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 4 YEARS! I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHERE YOU GO WHEN YOU LEAVE!"

"QUIT BEING A BITCH! IF YOU TRY TO STICK YOUR NOSE INTO MY BUSINESS I WILL TAKE OWEN AND LEAVE!"

"YOU'RE NOT TAKING MY BABY!"

Edith went rigid at the mention of her brother. She was snapped back to reality when a hand was placed in her shoulder. She turned around, Kimora looked down at her sadly. "Go back to your room, Eddie, you shouldn't be listening to their immature fights."

She nodded and scampered back to her room.

She eased herself on to the bed. Her brother still slept soundly and didn't stir. She pushed aside some of his blonde hair and adjusted his knitted light blue blanket.

Once she was finally calm she left the room again. She glided through the halls, she came to a halt when she heard whispers come from an empty spare room. She peaked, a man in an orange hoodie quietly spoke to a girl who wore a white hoodie that had gray stains. The male voice was familiar to her and she realized that it was Brian, Tim's friend.

"Masky told me that Edith has huge Slender sickness symptoms."

"You think that a seven-year-old girl really has a Slender Sickness? Brian, she probably has some chronic disease that her family just ignores, you know that this family is shitty and probably believes their magic will heal them."

Edith didn't stick around to hear the rest of their debate she quickly left and moved threw the halls like a shadow. She didn't stop until she came to a door that had a pearl with a feather inside of it embedded it onto the old gnarled oak wood. The door creaked open.

An old woman sat on the large bed. Her hair was gray and her orange-colored eyes looked worn out. The old woman sat upright, a journal laid in her lap and her hand did it's best to keep her old aching fingers wrapped around a pencil. An old Norwegian Forest cat laid near her feet.

"Hello, little one..." She spoke with a tender voice.

"Hello, Nana," Edith replied. The cat perked up its ears and seemed to glance at the girl. Edith placed herself near her grandmother's knee. She patted Elwin- the cat- before turning to her grandmother.

"I must tell you something," she briefly paused.

"Yes, Nana?"

"You are a child of great change and renown, and though you have yet to come of age you will make a vast impact on this world and many others. Your mind and blood are most forbidden in many places, but your skill for keeping your magic under control is unlike anything in this universe." She explained, holding out a dagger. "This will change your life. Keep it safe and use it when needed."

Edith took it and hooked it on her waistband. "Y-yes Nana."

"My time is to be over soon child, I have a task for you." She held out her journal. "Take this, keep it safe, you'll need it when you awaken."

Edith didn't say a word. She took the book and nodded. It looked old and worn out, a pearl and a feather we're etched onto the cover.

"I cherish you so much, **_Schatzi._** "

"I love you too to, Nana."

-

Edith groggily awoke to the sounds of screams, the smell of smoke hung in the air. Her brother was wailing she quickly swaddled him and awoke her siblings, the sounds of footsteps came from the hall. The children gathered at the door.

"SAVE WHAT YOU CAN! DON'T GO TO THE EAST WING THAT'S WHERE THE FIRE IS!"

"MATRIARCH ISLA IS STILL IN HER ROOM! INGRID'S ROOM HAS A BURNING SUPPORT BEAM IN FRONT OF IT!"

Edith held her baby brother, Corey ran up to them. "Follow me!"

They followed the boy. He moved quickly through the house, Edith ran behind her siblings holding Owen in her arms. The came to a window frame, Corey pried it open and helped Skylar up on to it. "Climb down the ivy! I can use my magic to strengthen the vines!"

Skylar gripped the plant and began to work her way down. The children followed along soon after, until only MJ, Edith who held Owen, and Corey remained.

"MJ! Take Owen, I have to do something!" She barked as she shoved the baby into MJ's hands.

She turned on her heel and sprinted back to her room. She grabbed the book her Grandmother told her to keep. She tightly held the book in her hands and rushed back to the window. The fire had started to spread to the Western part, she was soon encaged in the fire unable to escape.

She held the book close to her chest. Just as she attempted to escape the flames seemed to reach out at her. She screamed her wings that had just started to form caught fire along with her nightgown.

She staggered forward. She heard a woman cry out her name. The smoke made her lungs ache and caused her mind to grow fuzzy. She had made it only a few feet forward when she collapsed.

 _Little did she know an entity watched over her, and he wasn't going to let her say goodbye to the world so soon._ _She_ _was to important to his_ _plan_ _, of course._


	5. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cw Death and pedophilia

Edith laid on her stomach. Her back ached, she could still feel the fire. She hadn't broken any bones but she suffered severe wounds.

When she asked who saved her, one of the family healers said that something manifested in the house and pulled the board off of her. It allowed her Aunt Kimora to pull her away from the fire.

After about a week family members were allowed to see her. Unfortunately, a handful of her cousins were killed in the fire as well as her mother and grandmother. Edith didn't mourn her mother but she did weep for her grandmother. The only person who had any power to protect her.

During her time at the clinic, it was ran by a multitude of witches from many different families, she was well taken care of. Many other children were in the burn unit, all of whom were nice.

After a couple of months she was checked out of the hospital. Her burns were healed but would leave scars for the rest of her life.

The family mansion was half way rebuilt. The eastern part of the house was already done. One of her cousins sat her down in the livingroom with her siblings.

"We need you kids to decide were you want to go." Her cousin Tansy stated. "Edith, Corey is staying with his father. You must choose a family member to stay with. Kimora unfortunately is not an option. Matriarch Endora has stated that she or Heath are not allowed to care for you."

"You, Skylar, and Owen can go live with your Godmother- Cassandra- while the girls can be placed in foster care." She paused.

_"Or you all can go live in New York with your cousin Ethan."_

Edith's heart stopped for a moment. She felt like passing out, she couldn't tell if it was because of the pain killers or her fear. She looked over at her siblings, MJ's eyes held some sort of understanding. She looked back at Tansy, Edith cared more about her siblings than she did herself.

_"We'll go to New York..."_

-

Ethan waited at the entrance to the apartment building. His wife had died in the fire as well. He hated that woman, she was much to pure and old for him. She was 19 when she married him. They had only been married a year, he had to keep appearances up and pretend to be grieving.

He played the role of mourning husband wanting to fill his home with children that he never got to have perfectly. He didn't lust much over the other children as he did for Edith.

He was a truly disgusting man. He got away with what he wanted because his family had money. He had ruin an enormous amount of young girls lives. He was scummy, wretched, and cruel.

If he met the man who started the fire he'd thank them. If they were insane enough to do that, they probably were the same as him. He impatiently waited.

The car pulled up, his heart raced. Oh how fun this would be, he now had his favorite toy with him.

He didn't realize that his disgusting desires would lead to his death... But he had it coming.


	6. EastView Academy and the Gifted Children

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CW child abuse

Edith loved going to school. The regular classes were simple, she excelled in magic classes as well. She wiped the floor in magical combat, taking down her opponent in a matter of seconds. She passed tests with flying colors, never getting lower than an A.

The moment she took down one of the cocky upperclassmen, her name was whispered in the halls. She had two friends- not including her sister- named Elka and Lowen.

-

Skylar was similar to Edith, but for them, they liked to observe and analyze their classmates. They were soft-spoken and preferred not to provoke or congregate with others.

Soon, they fell right behind Edith in grades. They prided themself on their skills and knowledge. Magical combat wasn't their favorite class, though they did do good in it due to their tactical abilities and diligently planned hits.

-

MJ was the "trouble maker" of the school, within a month they had pranked 20 students and had hardly got caught, buy the students knew it was them. They had one friend, Quinn Shay, who was just as mischievous. They were notorious for their pranks and how quickly they bonded.

Though to make up for it, they were notoriously smart and was quite kind to those they respected and cared for.

There were rumors that they were platonic soulmates, which they would both agree if you asked them. The two 7-year-olds were peas in a pod. They bonded over their shared backgrounds. Both of them were part Japanese, but Quinn was part Irish and MJ was French.

-

Eurydice a quiet child, a gifted one at that. She was more interested in finding how the clock ticked rather than talking to her classmates. The small child was to busy messing with paper clips and pipe cleaners during recess to make friends.

She liked to make things, she liked learning about how magic and other things became to be. It was an ongoing debate about whether or not they should place her in a higher grade.

-

Mika was a normal magical child, though her ability to manifest plants we're astonishing. She didn't seem very interested in anything.

The young child was said to have the bluntest look on her face. Unlike her peers, she wasn't very emotional. Many people thought her soulmate mark was no emotions until she found her other half.

That wasn't the case. They all found that out when she fell from the slide and started crying. After that incident, she preferred to stay inside and color or read.

-

Unfortunately, Ethan gave Owen to Cassandra- Owen's godmother, after several months, he told the girl that it was her punishment for being "disobedient"- Edith cried for days. At some point, he grew tired of the girl's distraught crying and "gave her a real reason to cry".

Edith didn't go to class for a week and MJ went to school with a swollen foot that he had received by "falling down the stairs in the stairwell."

-

Despite all of the sibling's differences, they all dreaded one thing.

_Going home..._

They all had no other choice but to return home when they were young, but they somehow managed to stay out of their house as they got older.

MJ would get detentions and stay after school, for them going home only meant beatings and being unable to help your older sister stop being hurt in more ways than one.

Eurydice would stay at the after school program for gifted children. That lasted 6 hours after school. It helped her escape watching her older siblings being beaten.

Mika had made friends with another tenant in the apartment building. So she would play the neighbor until one of her siblings came to get her. Due to her young age, her siblings were more defensive of her.

She would talk about the screaming and the crying, and about how the neighbors would pull her aside when she was playing with their kids and ask about the muffled cries they would sometimes hear.

Ethan really should have been more careful with what he made the kids watch. The more vindictive he was, the more desensitized they were to death, the more they found that they could get away from him by ending his life.

-

Nevermind that, they didn't go through with that plan till later.

-

MJ dashed threw the Alley. They could hear laughter coming from behind them, four boys followed them. These weren't the boys from their school, those boys didn't harass people, they were chivalrous and MJ quite enjoyed them.

They could tell the boys were from the nearby all-boys school. They turned their head to look how far away the pursuers were and then ran into someone.

The sound of boys yelling and retreating snapped them out of their daze. "You ok kid?" A husky voice asked.

MJ looked up to the owner of the voice. He wore a gray trenchcoat with a loose tie, he had no shirt on, he had on a fedora and a cigarette was in his other hand. He held out a hand towards MJ.

If he hadn't just saved them, they would probably be running away in fear, who wouldn't when confronted with a person with no nose or face?

What was probably the most mystical was how he dressed in New York winter weather.

They took his hand with slight hesitation. MJ stood up wobbly, their adrenaline made their legs shake. "What's your name?" He asked.

"My name is MJ." They said while tucking their hair into their gray beanie. "MJ _Leblanc_."

They looked up at the partially faceless man, their eyes finally met his. He seemed to be startled at the sound of their last name. "You're the last Leblanc...?" He muttered.

"How do you know I'm the last Leblanc...?"

-

Offender's chest swelled when he looked into her eyes. He had watched over a couple of _her_ descendants, they all looked like her, and that's why he protected them.

After some time the Leblanc family moved from France to California. One of her descendants, whose name was Felix, married a Japanese woman. He was pretty sure her name was Kira.

He was slightly scared that they would break the cycle of _her_ eyes, but lucky for him their Daughter Darcy was a spitting image of _her_.

He lost track of her family, Felix went missing and Kira moved with the young Darcy. He had seen Darcy only once when she was an adult and alive. She was 4 months pregnant and they had moved back to California.

Four years later, he found out Kira had passed, and about a couple of months later Darcy was killed. He stopped caring after that.

-

His eyes scanned the child's face. A couple of scraps and be could swear a hand-shaped bruise on the side of her neck. He tried to get a closer look but she pulled away.

"Answer me."

He snickered, every one of her descendants had the same flare. "Let's just say I've known your family for a long time, Dove," He said, putting the cigarette back in his mouth.

"Well, that doesn't explain much." The girl mumbled.

"Why were those boys chasing you anyway, Dove?"

The girl sucked in a breath. "Gosh, I'm not sure, Mister!" She stated sarcastically and gestured to herself, her clothes we're oversized and hung loosely on her body.

You would have to hear her voice to realize she was a girl. Her eyes were also abnormal by standards.

Offender was puzzled. He decided he would stick around with the kid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smexy upon meeting MJ: Who is this Sassy lost child?


	7. Killing Kronos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cw Gore, murder, and abuse

Edith held her dagger. Even though she had an absent looking face. The gears in her mind turned as she fiddled with the blade. She reviewed the plan in her mind, there was no room for mistakes. Not this time.

Not ever.

The plan was simple, but it involved many people. Skylar and Edith were the leaders of the plan, Edith was probably the most important part.

-

For the plan to work they had to get some of their friends involved. Even though the plan was grim, they wanted to help. And so it was settled.

Mika and Eurydice would stay with Lowen, whose parents were never home and left her with a nanny, who was happy to hear that Lowen had a friend. Those two would be safe there, and if shit hit the fan at least they'd be safe.

Elka would be hiding with a voice recorder. She would cut the tape right when he would get nasty. That would prove what occurred was only self-defense.

Edith planned to harm him so badly he would have no chance of survival. She wanted him to suffer all the pain he had inflicted upon them for the past 5 years.

-

The smell of alcohol polluted the air. Their cue to get into their positions, Elka fell into the dark corner of the living room, almost like a shadow. Quinn-Shay's brow furrowed, but her smile did not waver. 

Edith, Skylar, MJ, and Quinn-Shay continued to innocently play Uno. Footsteps cane from the stairway.

Then an obvious infuriated voice yelled. "What the hell did I say about bring your friends home!?"

The children continued to ignore the man. He briskly staggered down the stairs with a beer bottle in hand. The abuser held the neck of a bottle, once he was with two feet of the youths he raised the bottle.

He staggered back, gasping for air. MJ stood on their feet, a bat in their hand. The other three girls followed suit.

"LITTLE BITCH!" He howled. "IM GOING TO BEAT THE SHIT-" Ethan was struck with another whack with the bat.

As he fell on his ass, Quinn Shay grabbed scissors from her bag. She wanted to make him pay for blinding MJ in his eye.

Elka clicked the recorder off. She finally realized that she was helping with this, it filled her with a sense of glee, he deserved this.

All of them had comforted Edith at some point. They had seen the marks and bruises. Had witnessed her flinching and whimpering. They all knew when the teachers said that Edith fell and hurt herself was because of him.

The saw the fresh scar across MJ's eye. They saw the bruises and how they limped after being kicked so hard his leg swelled.

MJ hit him in his head one last time. He laid on the floor writhing in pain.

Quinn Shay drove her scissors into his thigh. He tried to claw at her but MJ crack their bat down onto his arm, and a sickening crack was heard. He screamed, spouting about how he would make all of them suffer. 

Tears filled Edith's eyes. All of her rage and sorrow bubbled in her chest. He wasn't in half the pain she had felt for the last 5 years. 

MJ brought his bat down on his chest and and even more sickening cracks were heard, Ethan gasped for air.

Edith stood over him, before she crouched down and plunged the knife into his chest. She trembled and pulled the dagger out then drove it down into his chest again.

She grew more and more angry. She repeatedly stabbed him, blood sprayed on her clothes. The metallic scent would haunt them for months after.

Edith threw herself back and backed away from him. The knife still stuck into his now bloody chest.

MJ guided Edith away from the body. Edith shook violently, tears escaped her eyes.

MJ looked at Skylar. "Call 911."

Skylar held the home phone. The sound of an 911 operator could be faintly heard and MJ soon heard the sound of police cars and an ambulances.

-

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, Breaking News. _CEO Ethan Scott_ was reported dead to police early this evening. Reports and witnesses say his death was due to self-defense. Witnesses report that he attempted to attack his foster children. Reports say that Mr. Scott had been abusing his foster children since they first moved in with him."

"Reports from the both the foster children and others who claim to have suffered from Ethan Scott report abuse at the hands of Scott. Neighbors say that they often heard yelling and cry, many made reports to the authorities, but no officers or social workers were never dispatched or deployed to the home.'


	8. My Baby

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW Implied child neglect and abuse

Edith walked up to the house. Skylar followed behind her, holding an empty suit case. Her hair flowed the breeze and she gripped the sleeves of her jean jacket tighter.

She she climbed to steps to the porch and knocking on the painted red wood of the door. She bounced on her heels, anxiousness flooded her, clouding her thoughts. 

It had been so long since she had seen Owen. She missed his babbling and his eound chubby face, she longed to see him laugh and toddle around.

Cassandra opened the door, snarling, teeth almost barred at the twins. "The brat is in his room."

Edith bowed her head and enter the house, noting that little to nothing changed as the same boring old paintings and the framed picture of her mother as a 15 year old and Cassandra. She felt bile rise in her throat as she recounted the days that she spent suffering from her own mother's wrath.

She glided up the stairs, holding the trunk that originally Skylar held but Cassandra offered her twin tea and some condolences. Just like always, her mother's dogma still stirred around those she knew and those who had followed her.

Her mother confused her.

She walked down a hallway before finding a door that matched the one that she could vaguely remember holding a cradle and a couple of child sized beds.

Memories of her Dad finally being fed up and filing for custody and divorce after Owen was born. She and her baby siblings were sent to Cassandra's home to stay as her parents were forced to attend sessions with the Amor so they could find some middle ground.

Her father did try, but her mother never took a compromise. Her father's cheek had been stitch and bandage after a fight about how they should hire a nanny for Owen because Ingrid hardly cared for the baby. He didn't want to leave Edith to raising him when he had business trips.

He still held Owen in the middle of the night. Feeding him a bottle and rocking him. All while trying to coax her childhood self back into a her bed, because "she was to young to be acting like more of a mom than her own mother".

Edith pushed the door open and entered. The she felt her feet collide with something. And so she hit the floorboards.

"Ow..." She groaned, her hand pressed against the wooden floor and she raised her head to observe the room. It hadn't changed much the walls were still an off white and the wooden floor still looked old and creaky. She craned her head to look over at the window she would stare out of.

The curtains of the window flew as the breeze hit their flowy bodies. The smell of blooming flowers and other vegetation coming to life after the cold and wet weather of a California winter.

Gods, she missed this state.

She missed the searing hot summer's and the popsicles that would drizzle down her wrist when she took to long.

She missed the intense winds and the sound of rain drops hitting her window and soothing her mind and as she drifted to sleep.

Most of all she missed her friends.

Her Dad. 

Her grandma.

She let out a sigh. Before her ears heard a small sniffle. Her heart accelerated.

She turned her head to see a little blond haired boy wedging himself in under the bed. He trembled and his eyes were filled to the brim with big round tears, his chin quivered and chubby cheeks were flushed red. She could purple bruises around his eyes and her heart broke.

That was her baby.

"I-I- s-sor-ry-" His little lisp and stutter practically melted. Her little sunshine that had her wrapped around his chubby hand.

Her face softened. And she propped herself up with her hand. "For what? You did nothing wrong." She crooned and beckoned him out of his hiding spot. She had done this so many times before with her other siblings, and just like those same times she didn't want to cry.

His eyes flooded with tears and he finally recognized her. He sniffled and crawled out from under the bed. Edith held her breath, he was so skinny and beaten. He hand bandages all around his arms and his shirt had a few stains of blood.

"Mama?" He reached out to her and Edith reached out her arms. "Mom-mommy?"

He collapsed in her arms, like he was dying. "Mommy-"

"Hi pumpkin you've gotten so big..."

"I missed you so much..." His little voice almost shattered her. He was so tiny, so small, so innocent. She wanted to wrap him up in blankets and surround him in pillows. She wanted him to safe and warm.

What had he done to ever deserve a life like this? It seemed like just existing was a one way ticket to a life of torture.

"We are, shhh... we are, okay?" She spoke with a soothing tone, feeling him hiccup and sob.

Why did this happen!? Why did the world let them be hurt over and over again!? Why did they deserve to be neglected!? Why did they deserve to be abandoned!?

Why did everyone over look them!? Everyone pushed them to the side, and only noticed them when they needed something!

"Momma...?"

"Yes, peanut?" She murmured, too in her heard to give a gentle reply so the baby in her arms could calm down. His platinum blond hair was tousled and untamed, and he almost smelled like vomit. She pressed her hand to his forehead, he felt hot.

"I feel sick... my tummy hurts and my throat hurts and I feel cold..."

She gently rubbed his back. "I'll get you some medicine when we get home and I'll make you some soup, okay?"

He sniffled. "O-okay..."

"Do you want to take a nap while I pack your things so we could go home?"

"Yes..."

She cradled him in her arms. And she moved gently towards the bed and lowered him down softly. "Just relax and I'll wake you up when we're leaving."

He nodded and clung to his teddy bear and she knew that it was Carlito, Mika had given it to him. She kissed his head and his eyelids fluttered.

-

Edith softly shook Owen awake. Most of his clothes didn't fit him or were torn, so she choose the ones that could be salvageable to wear.

He grumble and rubbed his eyes. He reached out his arm with the other still holding Carlito. She leaned down and he hooked his arm around her neck. Edith balanced him on her hip, and he rested his head on her shoulder.

She gripped the handle to the suit case, kicking aside the block toys that had sent her face first into the floor. The door still remained ajar from her pushing closed after setting Owen down for his nap.

"I need my picture..." Owen said, his voice sounded strained.

Edith didn't hesitate to renter the room. "Where is it?" She replied, and she softly rubbed her cheek against the top of his head.

"Bed drawer..."

She gave a small 'hm' in response and switched the suit case to her other arm. And went to the bedside table and opened to drawer, and stared straight down at herself and their siblings, all young and tiny, no purple beneath their eyes and no scars.

She picked it up and handed it to him, and he kissed the photo. He pressed it to his chest like it was more valuable than gold.

-

"Let's go Skylar."

Her twin sat and and thanked Cassandra for her time and taking care of Owen. Holding back vemon when they saw Owen in her arms.

The trudged back to the limo and settled into their seats.

Edith bowed her head. "Thank you, Matriarch Endora, for allowing us to retrieve our brother."

The women into black merely scoffed at them. "He is your responsibility, I hold no duty to care for your mother's bastared."

She gripped her hand. "Yes ma'am. He will be my charge, and mine alone, like the others. I will ensure they do not bother you what so ever."

"Hmph, I will hold you to that." Endora returned to her paperwork. "I'll send for a healer, and that will be my welcome home gift to you."

She inhaled and sighed. "Thank you once again ma'am." 


	9. The Red String

Mika sat under a tree, surrounded by her siblings and other greenery. It was silent. The only thing that made a sound was the birds and the scribbling noise of MJ's pencil.

She turned her attention away from the crimson string that was tethered to her pinkie. Edith laid on the grass, her face half-hidden by platinum curls. Skylar sat criss-cross next to her, eating an orange.

Eurydice napped with her head on Mika's shoulder. MJ laid on her belly while doodling, sitting on the other side of Edith.

It was strange...

To say the least.

Everyone was still on edge but yet calm. The stillness was so loud, they had grown used to the sound of cars and voices of people, now they sat in serenity, almost like the past five years were a creepy fever dream.

But they weren't, no amount of peacefulness or time could calm the feeling of constant anxiety. No amount of time would lull the memories of the horror that was their caretaker.

Mika brushed those thoughts aside.

She turned her attention back to her hand. Her cobalt blue eyes followed the length of the cord. It started to seem as though the thread began to get nearer.

Edith moved her head towards the deeper part of the orchard, eyes squinted then widened. A smile that the children hadn't seen in years spread across her face.

"SPLENDOR!" She cried, tears fell from her face but she had a goofy smile.

A man in a rainbow-colored polka-dotted suit smiled at the girl as she sprinted towards him. Skylar and MJ at her heels, leaving the two younger girls under the tree.

A very vivid _red string_ could be seen on his finger.

He didn't seem to notice, all of his attention laid on the three girls that were presently speaking to him. She felt someone looking down at her, her eyes flickered to the branches.

A girl who looked about Edith's age stared down at her and whispered something. This should have disturbed her, but she knew this girl.

"Hi, Lemon." She whispered.

Lemon wore a worried expression. She stuck her hand out and beckoned Mika to grab it. " _Can't see you!"_ The worried nymph gestured to the tall man.

Over the short month, they had been there, Mika learned to obey the nymphs and fae.

The small child shifted Eurydice off of her shoulder and quietly stood up and grabbed Lemon's hand. The nymph hoisted the girl into the tree.

In a puff of green smoke, Mika was teleported to the other side of the orchard. As she shifted her foot slipped and she fell off the apple tree. A groan left her lips when her back hit the ground with a large- _THUMP!_

-

Eurydice wiped the sleepiness from her eyes. Only to be met with MJ sprinting over shouting. "Where is Mika!?"

The corners of her lips turned down and her nose scrunched up. "I don't know-" She stretched her arms. "-She probably went to the bathroom or got fed up being out her and went home." The 10-year-old groggily spoke.

"MJ, calm down. We can go look for her, Splendor says he has to leave now, anyway." Edith said calmly while placing a hand on MJ's shoulder.

"Alright..."

-

Splendor sighed. Disappointment filled his chest, he was _s_ o close to meeting his soulmate. Then Edith and the other girls distracted him.

When he finally paid attention to the string, it had once again extended. He quickly said goodbye to them and left.

He'd find them one day, but fate made it seem impossible.


	10. Running threw the Woods to Escape an Arranged Marriage ft. Edith Adler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw Implied suicidal though (?) Edith just wants some peace and clarity in her life honestly.

Edith dug her hands into her long charcoal-color skirt. She swore that her Aunt could hear her thundering heartbeat, the glare that Endora gave her was terrifying.

"Edith."

"Y-yes Matriarch Endora..."

Endora's brow furrowed. "I assume you understand how to behave when you meet the Heroux family's patriarch?"

"Yes, I do." Edith answered

"And you understand that if you mess up and fail to be accepted into their family, you'll be more of a disgrace than your _**mother?**_ "

Edith winced at the remark. She hated the very mention of her mother. Ever since the fire, that had killed her mother and many other Adler women, she shoved the very thought of the woman deep in her mind.

"Yes, ma’am..."

"Good," Endora spoke. "We'll arrive in 15 minutes. Be prepared"

A course of yes ma'ams rang through the limo. Edith turned her attention back to the window. She really hoped that if they picked her, she would at least be allowed to see her siblings.

Whispers came from her cousins. Not caring much about what they said she returned to her mind. That was possibly the only safe place to be.

While her mother had telepathy, her sister had illusion magic.

The barely thirteen-year-old girl paid no mind to the viper that coiled itself around her aunt's arm. Percival- that was his name- he was her Aunt Endora's familiar. The arrogant viper matched her aunt's personality well.

The young girl stayed away from the snake. Reptiles were probably her least favorite animal. Gods, she hated reptiles, no matter what people say, she'd never want one as a familiar. With there unblinking eyes- pitch black and darker than the midnight sky- their thin and slender bodies, that could wrap around your throat, with millions of tiny scales- the way they drifted and slid across both tile and dirt.

She shuddered.

_They terrified her._

A sudden sense of dread filled the girl's mind.

A typhoon of realization that she was going to be married off.

She was going to be married off at _thirtee_ n.

While other thirteen-year-olds shopping with their friends, she was going to be locked up in a stranger's house.

She couldn't...

She wouldn't.

_**She refused.** _

The plan she quickly made could cost her _everything._

_What else could she do?_

She thought about her siblings. About MJ. About Eurydice. About Skylar. About Mika. About _**Owen**_ _._

There was a high chance that they would receive punishment for her actions.

 _ **But she couldn't and she wouldn't be trapped.**_ _**Not again. Never again.**_

Her breath hitched as she finally made up her mind.

She just prayed to every god that her feet would carry her fast enough.

-

As the car reached the driveway, Edith's hand snapped at the door handle. Unbuckling her seat belt and kicking open the door, the sound of her aunt's screams would haunt her.

Her feet hit the road, she could hear the yells and threats of her relatives. Just as she broke the tree line the world went silent.

A silencing spell, she knew that it was meant to stun her. The adrenaline brushed that off. She ran threw the woods, not caring where it landed her.

The tall trees blocked out the setting sunlight. As she sprinted deeper into the woods, she could swear the back of her hand was on fire.

The young witch knew it was probably her soulmate mark that would travel from her arm to the palm of her hand or the back of it. Although the thought of meeting her soulmate out here was wild. Those thoughts were soon trampled by the actualization of the circumstance.

Half of her mind was crying with guilt for abandoning her siblings, while the other was more concerned about finding safety.

After running so long and deep in the forest, she stopped in a small clearing of trees. Nearly collapsing. Edith still didn't have her hearing, when she looked up at the night sky the moon was at its peak and stars twinkled in the night sky.

_Had she run for that long...?_

The burning in her lungs ebbed, allowing her to regain her thoughts. She wiped the sweat off her brow, the skirt she had worn was tattered at the ends. The young witch's hair had come undone. She brushed a strand behind her ear and observed her surroundings as she pulled off her gloves, shoving them into her pockets.

The mark- a circle with an X threw it- glew red.

Trees and bushes, or least that's what she thought until she looked behind her.

If it had been any other cryptid, she probably wouldn't have felt as petrified. But it wasn't just any other creature, no, no, it was so much more than that.

It was the thing her family had worn her about since she could hear. The thing that would surely kill her on sight.

She felt an overwhelming urge to vomit as her ear rang. Edith knew she felt this before but couldn't find a solid memory. Her survival instincts kicked, she turned on her heel and did her best to dart away.

The girl excepted her fate as the thing wrapped something around her waist. She swore she felt the thing go rigid for a moment as though it was shocked by something or someone.

That didn't quite matter as darkness consumed her, the last thing she could do was sigh and hope that her siblings got the lives they deserved, at least for her she could ultimately get the peace she craved.

 _Or so she though_ t...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We all know who we'll being meeting in the next chapter. And please leave a comment.


	11. This Literal Motherf*cker

Edith groaned as her eyes fluttered open. A smell that reminded her of the hospital burn her nose. Her head throbbed, she groaned and massaged her temple. 

The young witch settled into a sitting position. Scanning the unfamiliar room the memories of what happened before she blacked out flooded her mind. After thirty seconds of processing, dread-filled her heart. 

Why was she here? Why didn't the thing kill her? How long was she out? 

A throb of her head brought back to reality. When was the last time she has this bad of a headache? She would have searched her memory for more answers, but the door clicked open. 

Her eyes darted towards the door. 

A woman in one of those cliche nurse outfits and heels entered the room. Most of her skin was pink, but some parts looked like they were sewn together and they appeared to be rotting. She had red hair, one of her eyes was covered by an eyepatch the other was black with a red pupil. 

"Oh," She said. "You're awake." The woman was by her side in seconds, she examined Edith. 

"W-Whats your-" Edith was quickly cut off by the Lady. 

"Its Nurse Ann." The Nurse answered. "I assume your Edith?" 

Edith stared in shock. "How do you know my name...?" 

"Timothy told me." 

The girl couldn't say much. If she did would have left her mouth would be curse words. Her blood boiled, she despised him. 

Oh, how she loathed Timothy Wright, all she wanted to down as wrap her hands around his throat and strangle him like Homer Simpson did to Bart.

He'd been the source of her family problems since he first met her mother. As if messing her family up wasn't enough, he disappeared even though he had a son with her mother. 

She was snapped out of her rage as Ann waved a hand in her face. "Are you okay?"

The blonde-haired girl nodded in response. She jumped slightly as Ann picked up her arm. The woman looked down at the girl, the spoke to her. 

"May I see your arm?" Ann questioned. 

"A-alright..."

Purple fabric was dragged up her arm to reveal her signature white glove. Edith didn't care much for them, but she was grateful they hid scars and went unnoticed at parties. She controlled herself enough not to shake. 

Ann pulled off the glove and stiffened at the sight of the girl's forearm. 

Cigarette burns, scars, bruises, scrapes, some bandaids, the burns from the fire, all made marks on her skin. Her eyes flickered up to see Ann's shock. 

Though she stared intently at her soulmate mark.

It was about a minute later before she muttered something under her breath. Ann handed Edith her glove back and didn't say much. 

A knock came from the door. Ann turned her head, "Who is it?" She said. 

"It's me, Tim." 

"Come in. No need to be quiet, the girl is awake." The door clicked, signaling that the literal motherfucker himself would soon enter the room. 

All Edith could do at that moment was stare. He had the audacity to walk in like he had not wronged her more than once. The man still wore his yellow coat and his red flannel.

Tim hurried over to her, "Hey Eddie, long time no see!" There was almost a hint of uneasiness in his voice. Which didn't bother Edith as she balled her hand into a fist. 

The young witch reeled her hand back- her outrage took control of her body. SMACK!

Ann gasped. Tim groaned as he clasped his hands over his nose, he was bent over in pain. Edith didn't feel an ounce of guilt as she roared "FUCK YOU!" at him. 

She lunged forward and tackled him to the ground. Edith swung at him, using another hand to hold him down. When she looked back on it later, she didn't understand how she overpowered him. 

After being stunned for a moment Ann shouted for someone- anyone really to help control this angsty child. 

A man in an orange hoodie hooked his arms under the girls. He lifted the girl off, Edith thrashed around, she kicked her legs and shouted profanities. She soon calmed down, breathless she muttered swear words. 

Tim groaned as Nurse Ann helped him sit down. He held a rag to his nose, then looked over at the child who was being restrained. 

"Let her go, Hoodie." 

Hoodie snickered. "Do you have a death wish, Tim?" 

"She's just an angry kid. I can take a couple of hits."

"Shut your mouth you piece of trash!" Edith barked before nearly going limp. 

Hoodie sighed, he set her down. Edith paused for a moment and just stood there. At this point, all of the anger she held died down. 

She staggered over to Tim, he offered her a hug. Leaving Hoodie surprised when the young witch buried her face into Tim's chest and began to cry. It sounded like exhausted angry sobbing. 

For a moment, it seemed that she was no longer angry. Then in between sobs, she choked out, "I despise you." 

He was even more startled when Tim replied.

"I know kid. I agree that you should."


	12. Meeting a Monochrome Clown

Edith followed Tim down a hall. She felt like a little kid again, hiding behind him scared of everything. Although Hoodie followed behind them- almost like something might attack her. 

She jumped back when a monochrome clown appeared out of nowhere in front of them. He wore a devilish grin on his face. "I heard we might be getting a new addition to the Manor!" The clown merrily spoke. 

He cocked his head to the side and looked at Edith. "Hello there, what might your name be?" 

Just as Tim began to tell him to go away, Edith straightened her back and spoke. "My name is Edith. Edith Adler." 

Edith raised her hand and waved. Going to socialite parties and dances had its perks, the ability to introduce yourself and confidently even when you were scared was one of them. She probably would have shaken his hand if it wasn't for his claws. 

"Well hello, Miss Edith!" The clown cackled. "May I say you have pretty eyes- You may have to stay away from Lulu." 

Tim sighed, "LJ, go away." 

"I'm just welcoming our newcomer!" 

Hoddie cleared his throat and spoke. "LJ, Slender asked for Miss Edith to come directly to his office after she woke up." 

"Fine..." He dramatically whined and then disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. 

"Hurry up," Tim almost snarled. "He doesn't like it when people waste time." 

They quickly walked down the hallway that seemed to go on for longer than it should. It was relatively silent, Edith eventually broke it with the questions that were eating away at her.

"What did he mean by 'newcomer'?" 

Tim stopped in his tracks. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Seeing as how he found you in the woods, I assume you don't or can't go back to your family?" 

"You are correct." 

"Well-" He sucked in a breath, "You can stay here..." 

Edith's eyes narrowed. "What's the catch?" 

"You'll have to become a proxy."


	13. Making A Deal With A Pale Demon

Edith walked in silence for the rest of the way. Allowing the realization of what she had done to settle in. When she finally thought of her siblings and what they would face as punishment, her heart dropped to her stomach.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝗼𝐧𝐞...? 

𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐌𝐉. 

𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐒𝐤𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐫. 

𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐲𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐞.

𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐎𝐰𝐞𝐧. 

𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝗼 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝗺𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞....

"We're here," Tim muttered before turning his head to look at her. "Listen, I'm not going to act like normal me in there ok?" 

"Alright, but why?" 

He sucked in a breath. "I have another personality, and he goes by Masky. I think you met him once but I doubt you remember."

"Okay..." Edith mumbled. Hoodie handed Tim a mask, he promptly put it on. Masky, reach for the doorknob but hesitated. 

"Prepare yourself, Kid." He said, before finally pushing open the door. 

At first, she noticed the boy with goggles and hatchets. Then her attention was drawn to the faceless entity who sat at the desk. He was as pale as snow, but that didn't bother her, one of her 'old friends' was just nearly as pale. 

What bothered her was the both terrifying and yet calm aura he emitted. He gave off the feeling that she could trust him, but she knew one slip and he'd probably end her. 

She wanted to shuffle closer to Masky. Her gut suggested otherwise, it was better to not look weak. 

"So." The entity said, his voice was deep and sonorous. "Your name is Edith Adler, correct?" 

"Y-yes." 

"I also assume that your step-father informed you of my offer?" 

Edith wanted to cringe at those words, Tim\Masky had always been more of an "Estrange Uncle" type of person to her. She shook it off. 

"Yes. May I have a more detailed explanation?" She asked, while in her head she mentally patted herself on the back, congratulating herself for properly speak in the facelessness of danger. 

"I knew you would ask that." He murmured. The entity rubbed his temple, the fact that he could talk without a mouth was the least part that bothered her. It was the fact that she couldn't tell if he was staring at her or not that frightened her. 

"Well to start off," He stated. "If you choose to become a proxy, you may stay in the mansion and receive my protection. This means your family won't have any hold or power over you." 

Damn, that sounded good. No longer being controlled by Endora, that seemed like heaven. 

"But," He added. "You will have to become a killer." 

She weighed the cost. It was funny in a sadist sort of way. It was either her life or possibly hundreds of others. 

-

Edith was curled up on her bed, staring blankly out the window. She was always up this late, awaiting her younger siblings' presence. 

Ever since they had moved back to the Adler estate nightmares plagued their sleep. It was such a big problem Edith refused to even let her eyes shut. 

The young witch refusing to sleep both to avoid the haunting nightmares and so her siblings knew she was always there for them. 

Despite everything that had happened she tried desperately to cling to the compassion she bitterly strived to keep close. No matter how angry she was at everything and everyone.

A quite hesitant knock came from the door. 

"Come in." She whisper-shouted at the door. MJ slid into the room, wearing a sweater 4X too big for them. 

MJ grimaced. "Why aren't you asleep?" 

"I can't. You know that." 

"You know I'm always here for you too, right?" 

"You aren't the eldest, I should be supporting you guys."

"You don't have to be nice, it's okay to place yourself before others sometimes."

-

Running away was selfish enough, she might as well not let her chance go to waste. 

She sucked in a breath. "It's a deal."


	14. "I've Only Known Edith For 30 Minutes But I Will Die For Her."

Edith was led down the hall by the boy with hatches and goggles. Right after she made the deal she was dismissed. The entity whose name was Slenderman had the boy take her to her room. 

Every now and again he would grunt and shrug his shoulders. She assumed that he didn't have much interest in talking to her, so she kept her mouth shut. 

"D-Do y-you need a new s-set of- of clothes-s?" He asked as he gestured to her dress that looked torn and dirty, although most of the dirt was on her skirt. 

"Yes, please." She answered. 

"O-ok, follow m-me." He led her through the halls. They passed a couple of rooms that seemed to be occupied, the boy walked faster as they passed a couple of room. 

The two walked until they came to a door with a sign that said "𝕁𝕒𝕟𝕖'𝕤 ℝ𝕠𝕠𝕞". He knocked, the door opened. 

A girl that looked a few years older than Edith stood in the doorway. "Oh. Hey, Tobster!" The girl who Edith assumed was Jane said.

"H-Hi, Jane." He replied. "We-we ha-have a-a n-new p-proxy and sh-she n-needs knew clothes." 

The girl turned her head towards Edith. "Finally, I was getting tired of boys." She admitted. "Come in I have some clothes that might fit you." 

Toby remained outside as Jane closed the door, she told Edith she could sit on the bed while Jane searched for some clothes. 

She dug threw the drawer, then grabbed a pair of black jeans. "Here, I haven't worn these in a while, you can keep them." 

"Thank you." Edith murmured.

Edith took the jeans and folded them. Jane went to her closet and grabbed a green hoodie, a gray shirt, and a pair of brown boots. 

"You can keep everything, you probably don't have other clothes." Jane looked down at Edith's feet. "Or decent shoes." 

"Thank you," Edith replied. "I thought I was going to deal with my dress."

"No problem, you are one of the few girls around here, I'm always happy to help!"

Edith waved goodbye and left with the boy. As they walked down the hall she worked up the courage to ask his name. 

"What's your name?" She asked in an embarrassed voice. 

"It's- It's T-Toby. Yo-your n-name i-is Edith, r-right?" 

"Yes, it is." She answered. 

"T-th-, O-oh, we-were here." He signaled to the oak door. "A-Also, p-put something o-on t-the door, s-so people know i-it's y-yours"

"Okay, I appreciate the help, Toby." The corners of her mouth turned up as she entered her new room. 

The door clicked and she realized how alone she was. 

-

Toby wandered away from the door, his face had turned a hue of pink. The way Edith had smiled at him to the 10th dimension. He hardly knew the girl and yet she already had a hold on him. 

Oh, boy. Did she already have a big hold on him.


	15. Meeting The Mansion's Residents

Edith turned the shower on. The water warmed up as Edith removed her clothes. She dropped the dress in the empty hamper that was next to the door. 

She stepped into the shower, grabbed the soap bar that sat on one of the ledges. She scrubbed away the scent of sweat and what lingered of the perfume. The sent of the ocean returned, she found that quite weird she always had a connection to the deep blue sea. 

The young witch washed her hair and rinsed off. After drying off she put on the clothes. She liked the sweater, the green looked nice on her, the pants fit her and we're comfortable. 

She found a pair of socks in the boots. As Edith put them on, they fit well but we're heavy. Edith examined herself in the mirror, she combed her hair back with her hand. She was presentable. 

As she left the bathroom, her heart sunk. There was no way in hell that dagger was still attached to her. 

She grabbed the blade and begrudgingly wrapped the belt that held it around her waist. Just as she read in the books, the knife was attached to the souls of winged Adler's.

It was almost as though her wings twitched as she studied the blade in her hand. 

It was impossible though, her wings had gone dormant ever since the fire. It didn't hurt her as much as losing her family did. They were just a reminder of her fate. 

A knock came from the door, then a voice. "Hey, kid, you in there?" 

"No, totally not." She sarcastically called back. 

"Yeah, I get it, you still hate me." He sighed. "It's dinner time, come meet the rest of the mansion's residents." 

She sprung up from the bed and sheathed her knife. Masky stood in front of her as she left the room. "Follow me. It's better you don't walk alone until you meet everyone." 

Masky offered her a hand, Edith frowned but took it. They walked down some stairs by the time they reached the last steps she could already hear the commotion.

As they entered she noticed that the majority of people we're boys. There were girls, Jane was one of them. She waved at Edith. 

The young witch waved back with her free hand. She sat down in between Masky and Hoodie. The two men both looked on edge, which Edith chopped up to them not liking the mass amount of teenage boys. 

Slender cleared his throat causing the people to turn their attention towards him. "As you all can see, we have a new resident in the mansion. Edith, could you please introduce yourself with name, age, and one thing you like. "

Edith gulped and took a deep breath in, as she became the center of attention. "My name is Edith Nimue Adler. I just turned 13 and I like music."

"What the hell kind of middle name is Nimue?" A boy that looked about her age complained. If it hadn't been for his pale as snow skin and the gashes that made a gruesome smile, she would have snapped at him or passive-aggressively corrected him. 

"Well, Jeff, " Jane barked. "If you could actually read you would know that "Nimue" is the "Lady of the Lake" in "King Arthur." 

The boy glared to the best is his ability, making Edith realized that he had no eyelids. "You already know my name, but I'm Jane, I'm 16, and I like fashion and I hope you and I will be great friends."

"Ugh, great Jane's already gotten to the newbie." The boy with a gash of smile complained. 

"Jeffery, please refrain from starting drama at the dinner table, especially with our new resident." Slender snapped at the boy. 

"Yes Sir!" He replied sarcastically, then turned his head to Edith. "I'm Jeff the Killer. I'm 15 years old and I enjoy tormenting Jane." He said with a vicious grin.

It was at that moment she probably put on her scowl. Her glare wasn't the same as normal ones, several of her cousins often told her that she looked like a predator syncing in on its prey when she glared. It came naturally and often uncontrollably. 

The expression that Jeff made pretty much shocked the entire table, the only person who could make Jeff scared was Slender when he was angry. The fact a child that had barely been in the mansion for a day could scare Jeff was absurd. 

The room was silent for a minute. Watching in amazement at the sight of Jeff squirming under her gaze. At some point, he was fed up with the humiliation and muttered. 

"A-Alright, yeesh. Sorry for making a joke, quit glaring at me." 

"What kind of magic is this!? Jeff is apologizing!?" A boy who looked about 14 yelled. He looked like Link, except for his eyes that we're black and had red pupils. Blood tears dripped from his eyes. 

"Can it, BEN!" Jeff snapped at the other boy. 

"Aww is Jeff to scared to admit he got scared of a thirteen-year-old~?" The Link look-alike said. A knife went flying in the air. The blond boy cursed at Jeff. 

A boy next to Jeff tried to say something. He looked similar to Jeff, but he had a normal skin color and instead of gashes in cheeks he had stitches all over his face. 

"That's enough!" The tall entity snapped. "Jeffrey, settle down. Masky, stop laughing. BEN, watch your mouth." 

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Now, could you please resume introducing yourselves to Miss Adler, please?." 

-

Although she hated to say it, she barely remembered half of the names. A few she remembered were Jane, Jeff, Ben, Sally (who Edith immediately decided was her favorite person, she was reminded of her baby brother the moment the girl smiled at her. ) Lui, Toby, LJ, EJ, and Lulu. They were only half of the residents, which didn't bother Edith much. 

-

"So, how do you know Masky and Hoodie?" The man with a blue asked- EJ was his name. Edith turned her head towards Masky. 

"You want to tell them or do you want me to?" She questioned.

"Tell them yourself, kid" Masky sighed. Edith turning back to EJ. 

"He dated my mother when I was a kid- for like, three years. Technically he's not my stepfather, my mother was married. My Dad didn't try to get a divorce he didn't really care if my mother had another partner. He didn't want to marry her in the first place, but his family was in desperate need of money, so he married her..." 

Half the table went still and gawked at Masky. The monochrome clown sneered almost hissing. "Well, I didn't think you would be a homewrecker, Masky."

Edith internally cringed at the feeling of Masky glaring at her. She knew she had to explain before anyone started to assume things. 

"That actually happens more often than not." She admitted. 

Laughing Jack grinned. "Oooh! Do tell more, I'm a sucker for family drama!"

She sucked in a breath, pondering whether or not she should go on. "Well to put it simply with no need for more explanation- the matriarch in my family don't marry often for love. Most of our wealth has come from generations of women marrying wealthy men." 

"What about your soulmates?" A small voice pondered. Sally had her emerald green eyes fixated on Edith. The witch let out another sigh. 

"Oh, boy... I should explain... Here's the thing..." She paused for a moment. "About a millennia ago, the first Adler matriarch exchanged the ability to have a soulmate for magic." 

"Care to elaborate on that?" Jane asked, genuinely curious. 

"Alright..."


	16. Family History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ever heard "Runs in the Family" by Amanda Palmer? Yeah, that's Edith's bloodline in a nutshell.

About a millennium ago, one of my great grandmothers traded our soulmates for Magic. In my family, we have three different types of Adlers." She pursed her lips, gathering all of the information she recollected.

"The first type, Aphotics. They can alter another person's reality. Although they are very powerful, if they get caught up in their desires they are often driven mad by their illusion. Not to mention that they are strong during full moons and the winter solstice." 

"Now with Ilmestys- they can manifest their illusions, for example, an apple, into reality. They can often read minds. These Adlers are also stronger during mid-day and the summer solstice They use light and energy rather than making it." 

Her eyes assessed all of those who bothered to listen. Most of the tables didn't care and we're more focused on their food. 

"Then there is the last type. Which, only one person with it is born every other generation. This Adler is born with wings," It was this sentence that drew more attention to her. 

"The last person to have wings was my great-aunt, my grandmother's sister. She died when she was twenty-three. Which by our standards is old-"

"What do you mean by 'old'?" Toby asked, a slight look of concern on his face. 

"Oh, I guess I should explain that too." She took a bite of her spaghetti, which was surprisingly good. 

"Still a messy eater I see." Hoodie taunted. 

Edith fought the urge to dump her pasta over his head. "At least I don't get drunk at six-year-old's birthday parties." She snapped back. 

Jeff choked on his drink. Masky let out a sigh of disappointment. Half the table stared in shock. Sally had confusion written all over her face. Laughing Jack laughed maniacally. 

"Please refrain from bringing up family drama." He asked with agitation in his voice, like he was resisting the urge to slap her. "I'd prefer it if we could go for one dinner without an argument."

"Oh, I apologize." She mumbled before taking another bite of spaghetti. This was going to take some time to get used to.


	17. Foster Care

MJ sat in a car, driving away from all that they knew. Doing their best to comfort Eurydice, it was weird not to have Mika with them. 

Edith had run away only days before, it almost seemed like a fever dream. Once the reality of the situation settled in MJ could only silently cry. 

-

Endora had come home that night and barked at MJ and Eurydice to pack their clothes. Instead of admitting why they had to pack so abruptly, she had Skylar explain. 

What surprised MJ the most was when she pulled the two into a hug and cried about not wanting them to leave. 

They had never seen each other as siblings, but they had to develop a bond to survive the time with Ethan. MJ started crying too. 

-

Endora kept Mika, letting the siblings be separated with no remorse. This was the punishment they were receiving for Edith's actions. 

Due to MJ and Eurydice not being blood-related they were said to be placed in different homes. They reassured each other for the small-time they had left. 

-

Robert Daniel looked in the car mirror, observing the two girls crying. After doing this for the last 7 years he had seen this happen more than once. 

Despite the time transferring children from foster home to foster home, it never got easier. 

What made his heart ache even more was how polite they were. When he helped them with their backpacks they said "thank you" and got in the car without question. 

The two seemed well taken care of and seemed harmless. It didn't click with him why they would be put in foster care so suddenly. He had read up on their files and found they had been with the Adlers since they were young. 

-

The sky turned orange and pink. MJ looked out the window solemnly. Just one phone call and now they were on their way to a foster home. 

It nearly killed them as they watched Eurydice be led to an enormous old worn out orphanage. 

They had stopped crying an hour ago. A sniffle rang in the air once in a while though. 

Soon, they drove down a road that led to a little town. Their stomach rumbled as they drove past a Burger King, Jack'n'Box, and Sonic. 

Oh yeah, they hadn't had breakfast or lunch that day. The anxiety had gotten to them, even the stench of food made them sick. Usually, MJ would coax Edith to eat, it was ironic. Though, they had no room to talk.

The car pulled up to a decent-sized house not too big or small. "We're here, I'll help you get your bags." Rob said. 

MJ got out of the car and with Robert leading them to the door. The door opened just as they stepped in front of it. 

A woman who looked about 40-ish stood in the doorway. MJ didn't like the vibe she gave off immediately. Something about her screamed 'old fashion' she wore a turtle neck, a long black skirt that reminded MJ of Endora, and a white rosary around her neck. 

She let them in, once she saw MJ short hair for a moment she had a look of revulsion on her face. 

It was at that moment, that very moment, MJ realized this was going to be awful.


	18. Old Friends

Edith slept in her bed peacefully. It had taken a week to adjust to the mansion, but she didn't mind. 

Toby had told her that the mansion would adjust to the person's liking, that explained why her room reminded her of home... To say the least. 

She liked the fact that no one knew who she was. They only knew bits and pieces, if luck was on her side no amount of digging would reveal anything about her. 

But for now, she slept peacefully in her bed. It was calm and cool- something she hardly felt in a very long time.

Until her alarm clock rang.

-

Edith slammed her hand over the snooze button. It took some mental coaxing to get out of bed, but that was normal to her. 

She threw on some jeans and flannel- that she stole from Tim- on. As she opened her door the cold of the mansion struck her like lightning. 

There was no debate on wearing the sweater that Nina let her have. To Edith, the kindness that the other girls in the mansion shown was strange. Edith was used to her cousins that often weren't the nicest. 

She walked down the stairs. Once she got to the end of the stair she could already hear a dozen voices. One of them specifically sounded cheerful and high pitch. 

Edith began to walk a little more eagerly towards the door. For a moment there was complete silence. 

She stared at her friend in the polka-dotted suit, he started back with that cartoon-ish face of surprise. 

"Oh...My...God..." The two muttered in unison. 

Then all hell broke loose. Splendor was up from his seat in seconds, his hands grasped Edith's shoulders as he shook her. A slew of questions that left no time for her to answer. Something wrapped around her waist and pulled her away from Splendor's grasp. 

"Hey, kid." A familiar husky voice asked- she knew who it was before he even put her down. The new proxy was in utter shock. 

Edith gaped at Offender and Splendor, unable to speak. The creeps and the proxies that sat at the table watched the ordeal. It was unoften there was this much drama in one week. 

Jeff laughed. "I think you knocked one of her screws loose." 

Splendor whipped his head over in the boy's direction. "You-" The usually cheerful man pointed a finger at him, "-keep those negative comments to yourself." 

Offender patted Edith's head. It seemed to ground the girl back to reality. "Can you talk now kid?" 

She started at him for a moment. "Uh... Haha..." Edith took a deep breath. "How...Why...Are you- what...?...no..." 

"Offender, leave my proxy alone." Slender demanded as he walked into the dining room. 

"First of all-" Offender snapped with his sassy voice. "-Splendor broke her first, so don't blame me for your proxy's mind going haywire." 

"Hey! I did not break my best friend, she's just a little shocked."

"Excuse me," A man that looked like Slender who wore glasses spoke. "Are we not going to discuss that she knows Splendor- and more questionably Offender for that matter." 

Splendor turned his head back to her. "How do you know my brother exactly?" He asked, his tilted to the side. 

"MJ introduced him to me when we lived in New York. I-It's complicated- I rather not go into further detail-" 

Offender patted her head. "Would you rather have me answer? I know you don't like to talk about it, hell kid, I wouldn't like to talk about either of I was in your shoes."

"I would appreciate that." Edith calmly replied before sitting down at her spot at the table. Splendor began to ask her about her time at the Mansion, which Edith gave half-answers due to how much of a short time she had spent there. 

She could feel the tension in the room rise when she spoke to Offender. Edith knew why but she never had a reason to be afraid of Offender, he kept what he did to himself and never did anything to her or her siblings. 

She brushed off the guilt, she would face that later.


	19. Surprise!

"I lost her!" Jeff called. 

Masky sighed, knowing full well of the young proxy hovering on a branch upon the tree. "No. No, you didn't."

"Well, I can't find her!" Jeff complained as he stood under the tree- a stupid move for him. 

Jeff yelped as he was pinned to the ground. "What the hell!? Where the fuck did you come from!?" 

Edith laughed at Jeff. "The depths of hell, ya asshole!" 

The boy shoved Edith off of him. He stormed off muttering curse words and threats. Masky rolled his eyes and helped Edith up from the ground. 

"Now that was impressive." 

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Let's get inside, it's getting dark." 

-

Once Jeff was out of sight, he bolted for the Mansion. He needed to tell the others to hide, this was Edith's first birthday at the mansion- it had to be great. 

In spite of his first reaction to the proxy, over the course of the year, he had developed a good friendship with the girl. Roughhousing was a way they showed that they cared about one another. 

Jeff sprinted towards the ballroom, he took in a deep breath. "Edith's on her way back is everything ready?!"

"We still have a bit to do- tell her to get cleaned up and that we have special company over and she needs to look decent." Trender quickly responded as he fixed purple and black streamers. 

Jeff nodded and ran out of the room. He heard the front door open and two voices chattered. "Edith- Masky- Slender said to go clean up and dress decently."

"But why~" Edith playfully exaggerated in a fake sad voice. 

"I dunno, I'm just repeating what Tren- what Pale-ass said." 

"Language, Jeff." Masky scolded. 

Edith swiftly made her way to her room. She threw her training outfit (a short-sleeved turtleneck and black pants) into the hamper. 

The proxy threw on her 'tomboy-ish' looking clothes. Now that she was able to choose her clothing, despite her past with skirts and dresses, she still liked them, she just liked experimenting with her style. 

She was also able to kick LJ's ass in 'Just Dance' with pants. Edith had never seen someone look so defeated over a lost game of 'Who Let the Dogs Out?' In her own opinion, she deserved those 50 bucks. 

As she returned downstairs, Tim waited for her. 

"There in the Ball Room." 

Edith sucked in a breath. Were they planning something...? She shook the thought off and followed Tim, the young witch couldn't hear the normal rowdiness of the creeps. 

They entered the darkroom. Her heart pounded, knowing what was about to happen. 

1...

2...

3...

"Surprise!" 

Edith jumped and laughed. Stars formed in her eyes as she gazed around the room. Purple and black ribbons hung from the ceiling. Confetti littered the floor and balloons floated around the room. 

"You guys did this...?" She breathed as she twirled around to observe the room further. 

"Well, it's not every day that someone turns fourteen, feathers." Offender laughed. "You should thank Tim, he's the one that suggested it." 

Edith pulled Tim into a tight hug, after a year of living at the mansion, she had made up with Tim. 

"Thanks, Dad..."

Tim hugged her a little tighter. After a few seconds, he let her go to enjoy her party. Even hours after the hug he could still hear the words "Thanks, Dad..." In perfect clarity. 

-

Most of the adults retired to there rooms. Leaving the teenage pastas to do whatever they desired. Jeff devilishly grinned as he pulled out a bottle of alcohol. 

"My God, Jeffery... Don't tell me you took that from Slender." Jane gasped. 

His smile widened. "I didn't, Offender did." Jeff spun around to face Edith. "Wanna' sip?"

Edith hesitated, she knew it was wrong but another part of her was curious. Her eyes flickered from the bottle to Jeff's eyes. "Just one sip?" 

Jeff nodded. Edith took the bottle from his hand and brought the bottle to her lips. 

"Wow, Miss Goody-two shoes is breaking a rule!?" Clockwork teased, Edith stopped for a moment as her face heated up. "Aww, is Feathers not brave enough to take a sip~?" 

Edith's brow furrowed, without moments hesitation she gulped a mouth full of alcohol. The liquid burned her throat, it tasted like acid. She handed the bottle back to Jeff as she began to cough. 

"That was just plain mean, Clocky." Jeff snapped at Clockwork as he patted Edith's back. 

Clockwork grimaced. "Whatever just, give me the bottle." 

Jeff sneered at her as she snatched the bottle out of his hand. They past around the bottle and took drinks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some fluff before it all goes down the drain like Edith's mental health.


	20. Dreams

Mika stood somewhere in a woods, her grey pretty fluffy dress stained with blood and her feet scratched and bleeding from the forest floor. "Momma...?" She muttered. 

She shivered, the winter cold blew against her. Her mother and the nymphs had abandoned her. There was only so much a three-year-old could handle. 

Then she saw a smudge of purple. A girl ran up to her. "Oh, your poor feet!"

She wrapped a purple cloak around Mika, then pulled off her boots and socks. "Here, I can go barefoot until we get back to my house."

The girl grabbed Mika's hand and tried to get her to move. "Oh dear, your feets must hurt. 

Mila was suddenly was lifted from the ground and placed on the girl's back. "Well, I'll just give you a piggyback ride."

...

Edith- the girl- placed her a chair. She left briefly, then returned. In her arms, she held a teddy bear that looked about as big as Mika and a brown bottle with some white bandages. 

"You might wanna hold onto Carlito, this gonna hurt." 

Mika winced and buried her face into the teddy bear. The fuzziness smelled like flowers and the sea. Edith cleaned off Mika's feet and patched them up. 

Mika found Edith to be strange. She had been raised around Dark Elves and Nymphs but unlike Dark Elves, Edith did not have grey skin.

Her eyes were glamorous, one was the color of the setting sun and the other like the sea, she had flecks of white and gold too. Her skin was a deep rich sepia color and she had long silver curls. 

Mika reached out and placed one of her pale, chubby hands, on Edith's face. The girl was warm like sunshine, a pleasant distinction from the cold outside, she smiled brightly at Mika's sudden act of cuteness.

"Edith, time for bed-" A woman yelped then her face turned to rage. "Who the fuck is that Edith!?" 

"I-I found her in the woods, Mama" 

"I don't care! You little brat- I give you one simple rule and you break it-" The lady was cut off by a ringing. She made an animalistic sound and left the room. 

Edith shook and turned her head back to Mika. Tears swelled in her pretty orbs. The small girl did her best to comfort the bigger one. She rested both her hand on Edith's face, she forced her lips to turn upwards and stuck her tongue out, in mock of the way her Nannie would in an attempt to make Mika laugh. 

Edith let out a giggle and did the same to Mika. Both if her soft warm hands caressed Mika's chubby cheeks. Mika smiled softly, the most emotion she had shown since she was born. 

The moment of happiness was cut off by a pricing scream. 

-

Mika shot up in bed. She did her best to steady her breathing, she shook the memory of Edith's smile away. 

After all, Edith was missing because of Mika's past and family.


	21. The Heart Aching Past And The (Maybe) Bright Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cw Implied Domestic Abuse and Implied Suicidal tendencies

Edith and Toby sat in the living room, watching some film that she liked when she was younger. Toby had his arm around her shoulder, his twitches and tics didn't bother her. 

It has been two weeks since the party and only a week since she went on her first mission. While she had questioned whether or not she had some attraction to girls, Edith has grown closer to Toby- a more intimate relationship was blossoming between the two. 

"S-So," Toby asked. "If y-you don't m-m-mind me ask-asking, wh-what was your m-mother l-like?" 

Edith grimaced as her eyes went dark. She stiffened. The topic of her mother was never really discussed, Edith found ways to avoid the very mention of her mother's name. 

"S-sorry f-for asking. I-I-" 

"She was a monster." Edith whispered as she hugged her knees to her chest. 

"I can't really remember when there was a time she didn't despise me. I don't know if she was always abusive or something drove her to it..." Edith balled her hands into fists and gritted her teeth. 

"Looking back on it now, what she was doing to the people around her was horrifying..." If it hadn't been for Edith's gloves, the palms of her hands would've been drenched in blood. 

A lump began to form in her throat and her voice tightened. Toby gingerly wrapped his arms around her. 

"I can remember waking up one morning and having this unbearable urge to go on to the roof." Edith let out a desperate laugh as the last resort to avoid crying.

"I remember prying open my locked window with my six-year-old hands and easing my feet on the roof. The sun was nearly rising and the sky was turning pink." The proxy gripped onto Toby's arm. 

"So I climbed onto the very peak of the roof..." Tears formed in her eyes. "And I saw my dad-" 

"He was sitting on the very edge of the roof. His face was cut up and scars from past beatings from my mother covered his entire face and body." She inhaled another breath. Toby started rethinking his decisions ask about Edith's past. 

"He just looked so defeated and tired. He spent 7 years dealing with all forms of abuse from my mother. I don't understand why he stayed." She breathed. She really didn't know why he stayed.

"Then I remember him turning to get one last look of the sky-" She tried to hold back everything but she couldn't and with one last sigh Edith let everything out. 

"And he saw me- He fucking just looked at me!" Edith sobbed, leaning into the now engulfing hug from Toby. "And something in his eyes flickered back to life. Like I was one of the only things he had left to survive for."

Toby hugged her tighter. "You were his baby girl, weren't you?" Somehow, he didn't stutter.

"He called me 'Mija' even though I wasn't blood-related to him." Edith whimpered. "I-I know old people use it to address children, but it felt important to me because no one else really showed that they loved me."

Toby now pulled Edith to sit on his lap facing him. Edith began to sob, Toby was glad that no one else was around. The creepypastas were out on assignments and Masky and Hoodie were out shopping for groceries. She was glad if she had more people around her she would just burst.

He rubbed her back. Now he really started to regret asking. After some time her sobbing subsided, leaving her to hiccup and cough. She trembled, she bit down the urge to beg for her Dad, she just wanted to be held by him, she wanted his arms wrapped round her she wanted him to hold her like when she was a baby. She almost wished to be tiny again. Tiny and small, protected by her dad. 

-

Toby tilted Edith back to look at her face. Tear stained and puffy, yet somehow nevertheless gorgeous. 

He hesitantly pressed a kiss to Edith's lips. 

And she kissed back.


	22. A Conversation

Mika's eyes settled on Skylar. The blonde was deep into her studies, after a week of wishing and grieving she had thrown herself into her studies to become just as adequate as Edith. 

She was due soon to do the midnight ritual of summoning her reptile familiar. 

It had been a year since they had last seen their siblings. Mika had acted as if the absence of her siblings did not bother her. 

She had soon come to learn that quiet was the loudest thing she has ever heard in her life. 

There was no Edith who would scold them about focusing on their studies. 

No Eurydice to giggle and apologize as a mischievous grin crept onto her lips. 

No MJ to smile knowingly back, no jokes of how nerdy and formal Edith was. 

It was now just the Blonde and the Redhead, sitting in a library that somehow managed to survive the fire.

"Hey, Skylar?" Mika quietly asked.

"Yes, Mika?

"How do you think Edith is doing...?"

Skylar sighed. "Thriving most likely." 

Mika tilted her head to the side. "What do you mean?" 

"My sister has always thrived when she had no one to mentor her, she learns things well on her own and can figure out difficult problems. My guess is that she found another coven and joined them or she started her own for runaways like her." 

Mika agreed with a mutter. "Do you think she's summoned her familiar?" 

Skylar leaned back into her chair and stretched her arms out. "I highly doubt it. You have to be in your coven's divine location for you to properly summon a familiar. If you didn't, your soul would shatter leaving you a corpse with a heartbeat." 

Mika's eyes widened. "What about MJ and Eurydice...?" 

"Those two will be fine, so long as their not exposed to something that may set off their powers. At some point, their magic will probably lull itself to sleep believing that the soul no longer needs it." Skylar explained with a flat voice. 

"Oh, okay..." 

"If it makes you feel better, I get visions when I'm meditating," Skylar spoke quietly. "We're all together, Edith, MJ, Eurydice, Owen, me. We're happy too." 

Mika swallowed the lump in her throat. "That sounds nice..."


	23. The Mask Maker PT 1

Edith stood by the portal. She had seen ones like these on the Morgan Family's estate but she had never used one. Masky and Hoodie stood beside her patiently waiting for Slender to arrive. 

The portal looked like a breach into space, if you looked close enough you could see on the other side was a long narrow hallway. 

"Did you two get your masks from there?" She whispered quietly almost as if not to disturb others. 

"No, Slender gave us our masks when we agreed to be his proxies. We were planned to be proxies since birth, unlike you." Masky answered, over the year she had in the mansion she bonded with Tim more than Masky but they were fine with one another. 

"Wait you were- Bwah!" Edith was cut off by Slender appearing right in front of her. Even after a year, she hadn't gotten used to his abrupt arrivals. 

He handed her a face mask, she took the blue cloth and thanked him for it. 

"Keep it on until when they give you a mask." He remarked.

She didn't bother to ask why, she just followed his orders. Once she had fit the mask over her mouth and nose, Slender motioned them to go threw the portal. 

Edith took a deep breath. Just get over it and go threw, she told herself as Hoodie walked threw the portal. She quietly followed behind Masky, as she walked threw the portal a memory flashed in her mind. 

The ocean

Being pushed by someone

Cry out for anyone

A girl's sobbing 

Children yelling

The cold water of the ocean pulling her out to sea

A man taking her back to the beach

Her grandmother yelling and putting her in the car

The same man arguing with her

Seeing something lurk at the treeline as her grandmother drove away, stalking them as they drove to the highway

The memory faded as quickly as it came. She shook as she stood in the hallway. She could hear Slender enter right after her. 

"Well, long time no see, Slender."


	24. Mask Maker PT 2

Slender's POV

As I spare a passing glance at Edith, who shook slight from the portal, I look towards the Sybil- the Underworld's Mask Maker and Oracle.

They leaned against the wall with their arms folded across their chest. They wore a mask over their completely bright yellow eyes. The mask was an azure color against their grey skin.

"It's a pleasure to see you as well, Sybil." 

Sybil nodded their head then looked at Edith. "Well, your body did not handle that well."

Masky was virtually holding Edith up at that point. She shivered, Slender knew the portal had effects on the body and mind but he had never experienced it for himself. Nor did Masky or Hoodie or any other proxy or demon did for that matter. 

"Please refrain from vomiting. I'd rather not clean barf-" 

Edith steadied herself but still slouched and shook. "I'm fine." She hissed. 

"Hm. Whatever you say." Sybil replied. "So I assume your Mr. Daddy Long leg's newest proxy?" 

I grimaced. If it had been someone of lower status who called me that I would have instantly snapped back. I could almost see the repressed smile from behind her mask as she nodded back. 

Sybil tilted his head and looked her up and down. "I-" He placed his hand over his mouth then nodded and sighed. "Come along now." 

We walked down the dark hallway. Pictures that for a moment you could catch a glimpse of a person but with further observation it was blank.

-

Third POV

The group soon entered a dimly candlelit room. Mask of all sizes and colors decorated and littered the wall and workbenches. One partially cleared table further in the back was a partly painted emerald green mask. 

"I don't know whether I should be creeped out by all these masks or amazed. " Edith remarked, her voice muffled by the mask. "You made all of these?" 

"Yes, I did. " Sybil responded, they looked back at her. "Would you take off that horrid mask? It does not suit you or your outfit." They gestured to her neon green hoodie and her worn-out light brown boots. 

"I'm I allowed-" 

"Do as they ask, Adler." Slender snapped. Edith winced at his words then removed her mask. Sybil stared at her intently. 

"Slender," Sybil spoke. "May you and your other proxies leave?" 

Slender stared in shock at Sybil before nodding and leaving with Masky and Hoodie at his heels. 

Edith fumbled with her fingers and watched as they left. 

Sybil sighed. "You can relax, I don't care for formalities. I prefer that proxies show their true identity so I may assign them the right mask." 

Edith cocked her head. "What's so special about masks anyways?" 

"They show your status of work that you are assigned by your Operator. The Council is very strict about their rules." 

"How come?" She asked shyly. 

Sybil searched for a fitting mask for Edith, their posture loosened. "About four hundred years ago an Operator used the Council's lack of policies to breed with his proxy, the proxy was a witch and it resulted in the child having both demon and magic powers. After they had disposed of the woman and child they set new rules and regulations. Such as, if you are planning to make a witch your proxy you must have permission from a Council member, and proxies are not allowed to have relationships with their Operators."

"Oh, well that's sad." She mumbled. 

Sybil snickered. "What's sad about those rules?" 

She looked them dead in the eyes. "The witches never put in rules to stop people from falling in love. They knew that you had no control over your heart. When a child's magic spiked and caused an issue the Renouards would help stabilize that child's magic." 

"It seems your cluster of witch's had more common sense than the Underworld," Sybil remarked as they continued to search. "If it isn't too much of a big deal to ask, who are your parents and how did you come to be Pale ass's proxy?" 

"No it's not a big deal, but in the eyes of many and myself, I'm an orphan. " Edith replied. "My mother died when I was seven and soon after I found out my father wasn't my bio dad- I always had a hunch but I tried to brush it off." 

Sybil nodded. 

"Then I lived with one of my dead cousin's husband for about five years. Then I moved back to California when I was twelve. After my Aunt tried to marry me off to another which coven I ran off." 

Sybil stared in shock. "And you were twelve!?" 

"Thirteen, actually." 

"That doesn't make it any better- Gods I take back about what I said about your kind having common sense-' 

"Oh, dear..." Sybil murmured whilst starting at the table behind Edith. 

Edith turned to see a purple mask glimmering, under each eye socket, were three pearls, on the lower lid we're long cartoonish eyelashes. 

"I've had that mask for years, never once has it reacted to anyone like that." 

Edith took a few steps back. "Is that bad...?" 

Sybil gathered the mask in their hands and brushed off the dust. "No, it just means your fate will have a vast impact on the world." 

Edith took the mask from their hands. "My grandmother said something similar to that...right before she died." 

"Take the mask. Do you swear to me to never speak about this outside of this room?" 

Edith looked them in the eyes again with a stone-cold stare. "I swear on my life."

-

Sybil waved goodbye to the proxy. As she disappeared into the portal.

What is she to this world....? Sybil thought to themself quietly, their eyes darkened to a brass color and what did those witches hide from her?


	25. Romance and Angst

Toby laughed as he and Edith walked back to Slender Mansion. It had been a free day for them and they had gone into some town or city that Edith didn't bother to remember the name of and watched a movie at the old theater that still ran despite the slow business. 

It had been a month since they had started dating. Their relationship was sweet and due to them being good friends before they had feelings for each other. 

"Why the heck would you chase Jeff down with a lighter!" She laughed, her face and ears burning from laughing so hard. 

Toby laughed as well. "H-He said he was-wasn't a-afraid o-of anything!" He put his hand on his hips. "I-I managed to ch-chase him up a tree. H-He's a-a scary-cat." 

Edith threw her head back and giggled. She never really laughed around the other pastas but with Toby it was natural. They didn't often get to spend time with one another. 

Tim often was breathing down their necks since they had told him and the other mansion residents. Not to mention that Clockwork had been passive-aggressive with Edith even more than a month ago. 

"You're cute when you laugh," Toby commented. Edith's face burned as she grew flustered. An embarrassed smile came to her lips. "You should do that more..." 

She sighed. "I don't smile because of my gap in my teeth. A lot of my baby pictures that are left only have me with a no-teeth smile because my Mom yelled at when I grinned." Edith conceded. " She said, "Pretty girls have perfect teeth with no gaps!" So any and all photos of me have no toothy grin in them." 

Toby frowned and grabbed Edith by the hand. "I-I h-h-hope you-you-" He grunted and popped his neck. "C-Can sm-smile wit-with out-out fe-feeling in-insecure..." 

She smiled and squeezed his hand. They walked the rest of the wat in silence, kicking off their shoes once they entered the mansion. 

"Hey, Tobster wanna watch a movie with me!?" Clockwork giddy asked, holding a horror movie DVD while completely ignoring Edith. 

"I-I said I-I wa-was-" 

"Come on Tobster! It's one of the few days we have any free time!" 

He shot a concerned look at Edith.

"Hey, I'm fine Toby, go hang out with Clockwork," Edith assured him, she knew of the tight bond between the two and wanted nothing more than for Toby to be happy. 

"Y-You su-ure?" He questioned. 

"Yeah, I'll go hang out with Jane." She answered him again. 

He nodded before pecking a kiss on her cheek. Her face draining of the warmth that normally burned her face as she saw Clockwork glare at her. They ran off, leaving Edith by the doorway. 

And Toby didn't look back to see the tears filling her eyes.


	26. Tension and Crushing

Clockwork pursed her lips as she watched Toby and Edith cuddle on the couch. Both were immersed in the story of a pink goldfish who turned in a human girl and a boy with a bowl cut. (Props to you if you know that reference.)

Edith smiled childishly as she watched another girl in the movie get sprayed with water. Damn, she was pretty when she smiled. 

Her eyes would light up brighter than the whole galaxy and she had the most adorable dimples. The little gap in her front teeth made her smile unique. 

Clockwork's heart ached as she watched Edith peck Toby on his lips. Anger soon followed after, she knew Edith must be dating Toby to make her jealous. 

Deep down Clockwork knew that wasn't true, Edith was dating Toby because she loved him. If Clockwork wanted to be with her she should have been nicer and admitted her feelings months ago. 

As the movie came to an end Edith grabbed the remote and held it out to Clockwork. A look of dread came to her face as she met Clockwork's eye. 

The older pasta hadn't realized she was scowling at the proxy. Blood flooded Clockwork's face as she looked away from Edith and took the remote. She put on a random horror movie. 

When that movie ended Clockwork looked over to see Toby had fallen asleep leaving Edith trapped under him. "Help." Was all that Edith could whisper as she was starting to become crushed. 

Fighting back laughter Clockwork lifted Toby off of Edith. For a moment she fixated on the proxy. She saw as Edith squirmed under her gaze and she realized once again she was scowling. 

Clockwork gathered Toby in her arms and quickly left. She placed Toby on his bed, as she took one last glance at the boy she realized that he didn't have his hoodie. A new wave of jealous rage against Toby flooded her. 

It annoyed her so greatly. She just wanted to stop being angry at Toby, in the last few weeks it had become apparent that they were growing apart. As much as she hated the thought of even hurting Toby, she wanted her rage to cease. 

She had to break them up.


	27. Fighting PT 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW Physical Assault

Clockwork shoved Edith. "You know Toby doesn't give a fuck about you, right?" The older girl taunted. 

Edith gritted her teeth. "The hell is your problem with me!? I've spent the last year trying to reach out and make a friendship with you and all you do is be a bitch to me!" 

Clockwork snarled as she lunged forward. Grabbing Edith by the throat and lifting the girl. Edith's eyes widened. 

"L-let m-me g-go-! Can't- uH- breath!" Edith gasped. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. 

What happened that lead up to this fight? Did she do something wrong? Or did Clockwork snap and attempt to finally end her?

-

"Hey, Clocky! Wanna watch Spirited Away with me?" Edith questioned as she looked over to the older girl. 

She decided the best way to win Clockwork over was to befriend her, she wanted nothing more than to bond with the people Toby cared about. That was the best way for them to maintain a healthy relationship. There was no point in having an unspoke rift with one of the only other girls in the mansion. 

"Why?" Clockwork snarled back. 

"Because I think you might like it, and I want to be friends with you," Edith stated confidently. 

"Fine. But I want popcorn, that's the only way I'll watch your dumb movie with you." 

Edith smiled. "Alright, give me 5 minutes." 

After making the popcorn, Edith handed the bowl to Clockwork and ran over to put the DVD in. Settling on the couch only a couple of feet away from the other girl. 

The two both seemed to relax. It was a change that Edith was more than willing to accept. When she first arrived at the mansion, the few times she left her room for anything other than training Clockwork was not the way she was now. 

Before she was still very tom-boy-like but didn't bat her eye at Edith, when she did it was just normal childish teasing. Then Edith's birthday, Clockwork had seriously changed and became harsh towards her. 

But maybe she was making progress. Maybe they would start being friends. Edith knew how dear Clockwork was to Toby and she didn't want to come between their friendship.

The movie ended. Edith turned her head to Clockwork. "Did you like it?" She asked with a smile. 

"It was decent," Clockwork responded, a frown tugged at her lips. 

"Oh, I thought you might like it because it's Toby's favorite-" Before Edith could finish Clockwork interrupted her. 

"His favorite movie is Deadpool, dumb ass." 

Edith grimaced. "Hey, you don't need to call me that, Toby-" 

"Toby, Toby, Toby, blah, blah, blah!" Clockwork mimicked. "Stop acting like you know anything about Toby when you can't even remember-" 

"Why are you treating me like this!?" Edith snapped. 

"Cuz you're annoying. And you won't quit it." 

"I'm trying so hard to be your friend and all you do is push me away!" 

"I'll be your friend once Toby breaks up with you." 

Edith stared at Clockwork with wide eyes. 

Clockwork shoved Edith. "You know Toby doesn't give a fuck about you, right?" The older girl taunted. 

Edith gritted her teeth. "The hell is your problem with me!? I've spent the last year trying to reach out and make a friendship with you and all you do is be a bitch to me!" 

Clockwork snarled as she lunged forward. Grabbing Edith by the throat and lifting the girl. Edith's eyes widened. 

"L-let m-me g-go-! Can't- uH- breath!" Edith gasped. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. 

What happened that lead up to this fight? Did she do something wrong? Or did Clockwork snap and attempt to finally end her?

She recalled when Ethan had done this to her once. She was probably no more than ten when she threatened to speak out about the abuse to her teachers. He had grabbed her by her throat and threw her against the wall. Blood spilled from where the impact had occurred the most.

"Please... I-I won't bell anyone is you let me go-" She based for air, tears streamed down her cheeks. "Please!" 

"Naw, I doubt you would keep your mouth shut." Clockwork hissed and her grip tightened around her throat. 

"Ethan- Please!" Edith didn't realize that she had just called Clockwork the name of her abuser. The only thing that mattered to her was getting out of Clockwork's grasp. 

"The fuck did you just call me?!" Clockwork snarled and slammed Edith against the wall. 

Edith raised her hand then raked her claws along Clockwork's face. Drawing blood, her vision became splotchy. Clockwork laughed and further tightened her hand. 

Then she saw familiar charred black hair and a white hoodie. "H-Help me!" 

Was all she could manage to say before her vision went black and she collapsed on the ground.


	28. Fighting PT 2

Edith awoke to Jeff holding her. He yelled at Clockwork about something that she could hardly understand. What she could define as words were lost in her mind seconds later. 

When her eyes finally settled on Clockwork she noticed the blood that dripped from the girl's face. 

Oh.

It all came back to her. 

Edith wanted to scream and move. But her throat hurt and was dry like her mouth. Even swallowing hurt. 

Then she felt some else take her from Jeff's arms. 

Perfume. 

It was Jane. Who was surprisingly more concerned about Edith than she was about being near Jeff. 

"What the fuck is wrong with you Nat!? I know you don't like Edith but that doesn't mean you can attack her when she's being nice!" Jeff snapped angrily. 

"Yeesh, you're acting like I just killed her!"

"Masky- Damn it! Go get Slender before I kill this bitch!" 

Edith hadn't noticed the masked man's presence. She did her best to focus her vision on him as he quickly left to find the entity. Though she wasn't sure that he would do much, he'd probably give her a day off.

"Are you serious!? You're taking the side of this little bitch you've barely known for a year an a half over me, who you've known for 3!?" 

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Slender exclaimed with a thunderous voice. 

Edith flinched. Jane held her closer, murmuring something about how unnecessarily loud Slender was being. At that moment Edith just wanted to go hide away in her room. Shouting scared her, especially when the person who was screaming was angry. 

"Jane, take Adler to Nurse Ann. Clockwork, my office."

'Now.'

~¥~

Edith made some inhuman noise as Ann asked if she could speak. 

"I'll take that as a no." Ann sighed. "She tried to kill you, didn't she?

"Yeah, if it wasn't serious Jeff wouldn't have called me," Jane remarked. 

Nurse Ann shook her head. "I knew that girl had issues but I didn't think she'd do something like this," She ran her hand in over Edith's head, caressing the girl. 

"Especially when she knows how important you are to Toby." 

His name flooded Edith's mind. Where was he, anyway? How would he react when he found out his best friend tried to kill his girlfriend? 

Edith flinched at her thoughts. What was once the happiness of being with him was replaced with fear. 

If she stayed with him, it was set in stone that Clockwork would kill her. 

She wanted to be safe, but then she would have to leave Toby. The very thought made her want to scream, she still loved Toby. 

Or did she? 

The last few months had been rough. They didn't talk as much as they used to, Clockwork took up most of Toby's free time, and Slender kept them on different missions so they couldn't distract one another- though she knew that dissceion was for the better.

It has never crossed her mind till now that maybe she wasn't in love like she was months ago. 

What had even driven her barely 14-year-old self to dig herself that deep into a relationship? Why'd did she call something this dangerous partnership, love? 

When did she last feel something like she had for Toby? Was it her trying to cope with her grief? Did she use him just like her mother had done to Tim?

Then she recalled sweet and lovely Elka, one of her best friends that had gotten her out of Ethan's claws. 

She remembered a sleepover that she had repressed the memories of. How giddy she had gotten when Elka grabbed her by the hand and ran with her to the small playroom of her friend's house. 

She remembered how her face burned when Elka had grabbed her face and kissed her. How a crush that had lasted from 2-3 grade was suddenly punching her in the face again. 

And how something in her mind told her she needed to hide this part of herself. For her safety. 

She hid her face and her hands as she recounted all that she had hidden deep in her mind. 

Jane placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?" She asked quietly. 

A raspy and throaty voice left her lips. "Not at all..."

~¥~

"What gives you the right to think that you can harm my proxy?" Slender growled.

"Cuz' she's a bitch-" 

"With what I have gathered from the others, even Sybil, one of the most highly respected individuals in the realms, say otherwise." 

Clockwork laugh. "Does it matter really? You never care for a Proxy like this- why is she so important!? No one gave a damn about me when I moved in- Why do you all care for some girl who could betray you at any single moment!?"

"They care for her because she cares for them- If you stopped acting so aggressive and maybe tried out therapy for your issues, or at least didn't let your issues negatively affect them they'd care for you like they care for her!" 

"Fuck you! Fuck everyone who thinks that she'll be nice and kind- because one day Mia will turn-" She went quiet, she trembled. "Oh my god... I'm turning into them..." 

She touched her face, her scratch marks were clotting by then. She looked at her hands. 

"Natalie..." Slender said softly. 

"I'm sorry- Why am I like this- Why do I hurt everyone around me- When did I- I-..." She buried her face in her hands. 

Slender sighed. "Take over her chores and duties, take some therapy sessions with Tender in the capital- That is your punishment, I expect you to try and become better at handling and dealing with your problems. If you ever feel like this again, I always have time to discuss issues like this." 

Clockwork steadied herself. She gently nodded and escorted herself out of Slender's office.


	29. Burn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cw Physical abuse and Fire

Owen watched as the flame danced around on the candle. He mocha-colored eyes turning into an orange. Though he was told that fire brought nothing but bad luck to his family something about the light drew him like a moth to a flame. 

And, like a moth, he would burn. 

He raised his porcelain colored hand to the flare. Wanting to hold it in his hand like how Bubba had done it so many times before. 

His hand was immediately smacked away. "Ow!" He cried, rubbing the pink mark on his hand. 

"How many times must I tell you, Owen Adler!?" Cassandra wailed. "Fire killed your mother! Do you wish to end up like her!?" 

"That lady was never my mom!" He snapped. He had heard the late night talks of his older siblings and heard them recall the Mark's that his birth giver had left them with. And he grew to loath the image of her and those who claimed she was in the right. How could anyone idolize a woman who did that to children!?

"How dare you tarnish her name!" Cassandra barked. "That woman was nothing but sweet and generous! Taking in those orphaned and abandoned children!" 

"Those are my siblings! Call them their names!" Owen yelled. 

Cassandra raised her hand, crystal blue eyes blazed with anger. As she slapped Owen's face with the back of her hand, knocking the 7-year-old boy to the ground. He grunted and soon tears leaked down his round cheeks. 

"If they were truly hers, they wouldn't have burdened her in the last years of her life!"

Owen sobbed. Cupping his cheek. He gave his best wolf glare at her and utter the words MJ had taught him. He would've let anyone speak of his family like that, no matter if he would get hurt in the process. Mama wouldn't let her do this, Bubba wouldn't either, nor would Cece or Mimi. 

So why should he let her do this? 

"Screw you, witch!" 

Cassandra snarled and moved towards the boy and he gave ber the glare that had made monsters' cower before Bubba. 

Knock, knock, knock...

The woman walked to the door opening it roughly before quickly putting on a faux smile. "Oh! Kimora, what a pleasant surprise!"

Owen stared at the door and saw a red-headed girl and a blonde. He didn't bother glancing at his aunt, he was ecstatic at the very sight of his siblings. Mimi and Sky, how he admired them, he wished to be as smart and witty as Sky and as firm as Mimi, who never once let someone bigger than her talk down to her. 

"Hello, Cassandra, is Owen ready to go with us?" Kimora questioned, her eyes fixated on his puffy face. 

"Just give me one moment."

~¥~

Skylar wrapped her hand around Owen's. The three scuttled down the sidewalk. Skylar had gone as a priest or something, Mika had gone as Jessie, and Owen had gone as spiderman. A character who he developed a love for after a moive marathon with Bubba.

With Kimora's permission, they were able to go trick-or-treating without her. 

Owen's candy bag felt heavy in his hands, which he had garnered from acting cute, happily speaking of his love for the holiday. And to distract from his tried arms and feet, his eyes searched the neighborhood, he peered at the other children's costumes admiring the various characters and last minute made costumes.

Then he saw a teen in a light blue hoodie and ripped jeans bolt down the sidewalk across the street. Their hair was pitch black, but their eyes were what caught his attention. 

One stark white eye and the other was lilac, almost glowing in the evening's darkness. Filled with fear, they stopped to catch their breath, nearly dropping their small bag of candy. 

"MJ...?" He mumbled. His grip tightened in his bag. "MJ!" He called out with the loudest voice possible and he waved an arm in the air. 

Skylar and Mika stopped and gazed at the teen across the street.

They looked back at them, their shoulders dropped and he could guess they were crying. The bag in their hands fell to the ground. Just as they moved forward, a woman came sprinting down the street. 

He watched as MJ was grabbed by the hair and dragged back down the street. They fought back and flailed around. But the woman somehow managed to drag the poor teen down the street, with no pity or remorse for her actions. 

He could hear Skylar sobbing, rambling about how she should have fought for MJ. Mika did her best to comfort her. And Owen silently cried, knowing that even if MJ would come back he wouldn't be able to stay. 

He still looked at the turn of the street, hoping that MJ would return. Then he looked back down at the candy that laid on the sidewalk. 

And all he could do was stare. 

~¥~

Owen watched the flare flicker. He didn't move to touch it. Just stared, and that seemed to satisfy him. He wanted his sibling, he missed the cuddles and the stories, and how MJ made him feel so safe. 

As he heard Cassandra call his name, his head whipped around. He failed to notice that his shaggy overgrown messy brown locks and caught on to the flame. 

Then he felt the burning of his skin followed by the smell of burning flesh and hair. 

He screamed and dropped to the ground. "CASSANDRA! HELP ME!" The pain was unbearable. 

Tears fell from the boy's eyes and he soon felt ice cold water be poured over his skin. It felt almost the same as the fire had. 

Cassandra pulled him up by what hair he had left. She shouted threats and curse words as she slapped him across his face once and then cupped his other cheek, the one that had burned. 

"When will you learn!? You don't play with fire!" She shrieked. "Must this happen for you to listen!?" 

All Owen could do was sob and hold himself tightly, Cassandra used her healing powers to the best of her ability then sent him to sleep. 

He cried until his body collapsed from exhaustion. He slipped into a sleep that would only worsen his fragile mind. And all he could do was wish for his big brother.


	30. "You're Pathetic."

Edith slept in the infirmary that night, being in her room in her own where Clockwork could easily get her was too high of a risk. Ann had stayed with her and even told her of how she came to be the Mansion's head of the Infirmary. 

To recover from her experience Slender gave her a few months off. He was either nervous or agitated when he informed her. Clockwork was allowed to remain in the mansion so long as she stayed away from Edith and picked up her chores. 

Toby was away on a week-long mission so he wouldn't know what transpired while he was away until she told him. Edith dreaded the next few days that seemed to drag on as she pondered on how to let Toby down easily. 

It hurt.

She hurt. 

She wondered how Skylar was, being thrown into being the eldest of their family was possibly the worst thing to happen to them. 

But Skylar was always more logical and focused more on their thoughts, rather than emotions. They were probably coping better than Edith was. 

Edith left the infirmary the next morning. She quietly walked down the stairs and saw Masky by the door speaking to someone. 

"W-What h-h-happened t-to my g-girlfriend!?" Toby snapped, his voice filled with rage, a protective side of him Edith had seen a few times. She remembered how he had tucked her under his arm and pulled her close and told off LJ for giving her a candy that made her stomach hurt. 

"Toby..." Edith said softly, anxiously gripping the railing of the stairs. Before he could even talk or run to hug her she spoke. Letting the words she dreaded to say. 

She gritted her teeth. She didn't act like this. She never backed down from a difficult conversation. She needed to be in charge of herself, she had stared into the face of death and yet she crumbled at the thought of breaking it off with a boy? 

She needed to be composed, right now her safety was at stake, even if Clockwork was getting help, right now she needed to be strong. 

"We need to talk..." 

\- 

"L-Listen, I-I can d-distance myself-" Toby began to reason but Edith cut him off before he could finish. 

"You can't," Edith said, her voice sounded tight and gravely, she paused and took a breath, if she could run a school for 5 years she could hold herself tall even in the face of dire circumstances. "Toby... I can't go on like this. Not when she's constantly degrading me and-" 

"I-I c-c-can p-p-protect y-you from her-" 

"Toby I can't be with you when I hardly even know myself anymore!" She cried and her voice strained. They had gone not too far in the woods to talk so even with how quiet and hoarse was, it sounded like a scream. She inhaled again and composed herself, she straightened her back and stared right back at Toby. 

"Toby, when I first started dating you I was barely feeling safe enough to process my emotions. Now with what happened, I don't think that this will be healthy or safe for either of us." She stated, it was what was best for both of them. It wasn't just her who needed help. And when she and Toby had begun dating it wasn't a good time for her at all, as much as she loved him it wasn't the right time. 

"B-But I-I l-love you..." He said tears began to stream down his cheeks, and that made another crack in her already breaking heart and mind.

"I love you too, but I can't just using people just to feel like I'm worth something, that isn't right to you or-" She tried to speak. 

"Eddie- Pl-please! Please, d-don't l-l-leave m-me- Or at l-least say-ay we can have a ch-chance i-in the fu-future..." He pleaded with her. She truly hoped he would've understood, and accepted it.

"Toby, of course, we can be friends... But I can't go on the rest of my life letting other people fix my issues and problems. We don't have another chance, but we can still have a friendship." Edith spoke, trying to ease the growing tension. If she couldn't be stable this would go up in flames and become a wild fire of screaming and tears, she would allow that. She would cry when it was appropriate, not when she had this equally mentally broken boy infront of her. 

There was only silence for minutes. Even the forest seemed quiet. Like the flora and fauna was ogling her, waiting for either break down or agreement. Like all those people at those galas and parties, who waited and watch for the moment she would slip up or do something wrong so they could ostracize her. Tch, not like they didn't, even with out any mess ups.

"Let's go back inside, Tobster, it's cold out here." She softly spoke, trying to get a hold of his attention so he wouldn't go down a spiral of his emotions. 

Toby nodded his head and ambled back inside along with Edith. He gloomy kicked his boots off and removed his hoodie, and tossed his hatches onto the compartment where they would leave there weapons. 

She watched as Tim- or maybe Masky- patted Toby on his shoulder before the boy left to his room. Climbing the stairs with each step heavy. She removed her own shoes and her hoodie, then she properly placed his hatches in the trunk. 

She passed by Masky, whose gazed was fixated upon her. Edith grasped the railing of the stairs as she descended upwards, pondering if she she should go vent to Jane or Jeff, maybe even EJ, he had been one of the few people who offered her support when she first arrived, and he reminded her of Corey, her older soft spoken brother who would defend the people he loved till his last breath. She could go for some big brother hugs, then again she could go for some actual family love all together. 

"You're pathetic." Masky hissed, he snarled at her from behind the mask and she could feel it. 

Her eyes widened and she looked down at the man. She blinked before returning to her climb up the stairs, a little swifter as tears threatened to fall. She wondered -she didn't want to know the obvious- to herself if the man she had considered her father for months had said that to her.


	31. Tap... Tap... PT 1

MJ rested on his bed, his light blue colored comforter pulled over him and his familiar, a fennec fox, laid comfortably next to him. A little tap came from the window, then more taps were rapped in the glass. 

His eyes opened, he grumbled with annoyance thinking it was a bird trying to get into his room again, he hated those little Blue Jay bastards, they always stole his walnuts when he kept his window open in the spring time. He hated even more that those little soon to be chicken nuggets always woke him up on the weekends.

Then he saw an outline of what seemed to be human, and his stomach dropped. He lurched forward, then relaxed thinking it was his best friend and foster sister, practically his soulmate, Quinn Shay. Who was indeed the type of bitch who'd fuck with your head this early in the damn morning.

Despite knowing you only get around 3 hours of sleep because of your untreated childhood trauma and you mental illness. Not to mention that you were born and bread to fight magical demons with your magical hands! Flameo Hotman! (Haha, nerd) 

He reached over to his phone, which laid on his bed side table next to the cross he hardly wore. He opened his contacts, his eyes glanced back up at his window and he shuttered. He was so going to slap this bitch on the bus ride to school, how dare she be this creepy to him, they were supposed to fo this to other people not eachother, just because she had the chaotic personality whould not save her from an ass whooping that he would rain down upon her week bloodline. 

MJ 

Hey Dumbass, not funny, stop messing around. I have a test tomorrow and I have to fight and replace our demon English teacher.

Quinn

What the hell MJ!? I'm on the other side of the house! It's 4 am I'm not pulling a prank on you!  
MJ are you okay!? Do you need my help? I think there's something outside. I can't tell what it is but I'll have Natsuki go out and scout, text me once your safe. 

His heart sunk, then he looked back up at his window, that thing was still there. It was still there and possibly wanting to kill him, how wonderful.

Was it a demon, coming back to get revenge for killing it? "I'm a bad bitch you can't kill me!" He mentally chuckled at the thought of a demon knowing vines. 

He grabbed his signature baseball bat. Genji had woken up, he growled at the window his large ears folded down and his teeth were bared. His normal discord desired filled eyes were filled with rage. 

MJ moved to the window like a ghost, the thing stumbled back. MJ lifted it open and silently hopped onto the roof, baseball bat in hand, and he was more than ready to give this demon one of his signature bat beat downs. 

"Who the hell are you and what do you want!?" He snapped and raised the bat-like he would swing and send this demon on a home run hit, and he was ready to use one of his flamethrower like hands, he was more than ready to challenge this thing to a one sided Agni Ka. Unless this demon could pull a Prince Zuko and pull some swords out. He doubted it though, the demon's long black claws could make up for the lack of weapon. 

"I come in peace!" The man said, or at least MJ assumed it was male, with demons you could never really know, he felt bad now that he had assumed.

"Your friend, Smexy- or Offender- he sent me to retrieve you!" He stammered. MJ's shoulders dropped, but he kept his form, ready to punt this demon off the roof. He wondered how he could explain that, 'Oh no Officer, this scary guy was trying to get into my room and do our lord knows what! So I hit him with my bat, but I think I hit him to hard, is he okay!?'

He snapped back to reality. "Why should I believe you!?" Why would Offender send someone after him after 3 years? He grimaced at the thought of him. MJ loved him -no, not in that way- he loved him like he was a childhood friend, and he felt as though apart of himself was torn apart when he stopped showing up one day. And oh how it hurt, the day he had finally given up was when he received his first scar over his eye. 

"It's about Edith!" 

Suddenly Offender didn't matter all that much. 

-

MJ shoved clothes into his backpack, all of his homework laid askew on his sheets. After he alerted Quinn to get ready to leave he had begun to pack up his stuff. 

Kagekao, the (cat?) demon man, stood by the window. Genji stared up at him, he had a look in his silver eyes that MJ knew too well. He swore Genji looked God in the face and walked backward into hell at least once. That little devil spawn just seemed ooze strife. 

"Genji, be nice, he's not going to attack me," MJ spoke, trying not to get his animal a lawsuit against him for improper misconduct. Genji could pack a bite when he wanted, and he rather not have this demon unable to walk because Satan's secret love child decided to say 'Fuck it' and bite the damn demon man. 

"You named him-" The door quickly open and shut. A frantic girl entered the room, she seemed terrified. 

"The Nun is up! A-And I think the Mirk is back and angrier than last time!" Quinn Shay panted. 

A loud pounding came from the door. 

"Mary Jane and Quinn Shay! I demand you two open this door at once!" A shrill voice shouted. The pounds on the door became harder and harder.

"So her or the Mirk!?" Quinn barked. 

"..."

"The Mirk." They spoke in unison.


	32. Pt 2: The Mirk and Murder

MJ threw Genji into a messenger bag, pulling on his worn-out black boots. He turned to Quinn.

"Where's Natsuki?" MJ asked, worried for his best friend's fox companion.

"She sensed the Mirk and went out to scope it out." Quinn Shay replied, pushing her back against the door even more.

"What's a Mirk-" A thud and a woman's voice cut Kage off. "Open the door, I'll handle the woman."

Quinn hesitated. Another pound and the door jerked open. Quinn hit the wall behind the door.

"What in god's name are you hiding from me-" The lady attempted to screamed before she was thrown to the hallway, falling unconscious after colliding with the wall.

"Oh, shit- dude that was sick!" MJ laughed.

His laughter was cut off by a voice.

**"Maren..."**

MJ's face paled, he went rigid, and he began to gasp.

Quinn quickly recovered from being smacked into the wall, she lunged for the door and shut it. She then ran over to MJ's and tapped his face. 

"Hey, listen to me, that's not him! Remember that she mimics people's voices!" Quinn Shay scolded him. She turned to Kagekao. 

"So are we leaving through the window?" 

Kage nodded and hopped out onto the roof. Then gestured for them to follow. MJ stumbled out the window, he began to recover from his scare. Quinn shut the window as she exited. She had a small rucksack. 

"Hey, do you have my shark hoodie? You took it while I was out on patrol." MJ spoke his voice still breathy.

"Yes, do you need it?" 

MJ quickly nodded and took the hoodie from Quinn, pulling it on. He then turned to Kage. 

"So you're taking us to Edith, right?" 

"Yes, Smexy and his brother sent me to retrieve you, though Smexy told me nothing of Quinn," Kage replied. "But Smexy said you were stubborn with what you wanted so I can take Quinn as well." 

MJ nodded. "Are we also getting Owen? I know he lives in this town with his godmother, Cassandra, I've seen him around town with her, and his face has a nasty burn scar, he didn't have that before."

"Oh! Yes, the boy, we will be getting him as soon as we leave-" Kagekao was cut off by a red fox jumping onto the roof. 

Being a demon himself, he could understand was the fox said. 

° _The mirk is down by the street, if we want to get MJ's brother we need a distraction.°_

"MJ, she's down the street, I'll lead it to the graveyard while you get your brother." Quinn Shay stated. "That thing gets into your head, you won't be able to fight it off." 

-

MJ grimaced, he was stubborn, but he wasn't stupid. He knew he'd freeze up, that he'd be killed in seconds flat if he went after the Mirk. 

"Promise you'll be okay?" 

"Pinkie swear," Quinn smiled and hugged him. She released him and patted his shoulder. 

She turned and jumped onto the ground. Natsuki followed suit. They ran towards the front of the house, towards the street. 

MJ looked over at Kagekao. "Do you know where he is?" 

"Oh! Yes, BEN got me the address." He dug through his pockets and pulled out a small paper. "Oh! I passed by it on my way here! Kekeke!" 

MJ's nose scrunched up as the mask the demon wore turned into a smile. He felt no humor in this situation, maybe he would have 2 years ago, but the last two years had forced him to abandon his immaturity. 

Two years around his foster mother- 'The Nun" so he called her- had forced him to endure her anecdotes and lectures about how he had to devote himself to God or he would go to Hell. It got even worse when he came out to her, the next Sunday she outed him out to the church and he was kicked out of his private middle school he got in by scholarship. 

Then he met them, and that made things better up until January. 

Genji poked his head out of the bag. _∆Do we go get the baby yet?∆_

"Yeah, we're going to get Owen right now," MJ replied. MJ referred to his younger siblings as babies, he could faintly remember Mika's toddle and Owen's baby babbles that made life worth living. 

"Follow me!" KageKao chirped and jumped down onto the ground. MJ followed quickly after, a yelp came from Genji and MJ sprung up from the ground. 

  
They ran along the tree line that flourished behind the houses. His throat clamped up as they passed a red house with a black roof. Two families used to live there until something got into the house and killed the two teenage boys that lived with their family.

He distinctly remembered climbing in through the second-floor window. And collapsing into a bed with them, they'd curl up close to him, and when he'd wake up he couldn't get untangled from their limbs. Their arms were like fallen logs keeping him captive until the early hours of the morning. Then he'd somehow get untangled and sneak back to his house.

-

It was August 15, a hot Wednesday morning. The sun beat down on his hair setting it ablaze, (It was so incredibly hot outside but he still wore his hoodie.) MJ took in a shaky breath as he grasped the railing and climbed the stairs.

MJ walked through the entrance of the middle school. He was in eighth grade now, and it was his first time in public school. He had heard many stories about public middle school, but it couldn't be worse than his old Christian private school (At least there were no religious classes). And maybe demons would back off from trying to attack him.

As he walked down the hall he held his schedule and locker combination. He came to an empty locker, his eyes dart around as he looked around for anyone that could help him.

He yelped as someone clasped a hand on his shoulder. He went red in the face and turned around. A boy with sandy blond hair and pale skin smiled, he was muscley but chubby, he was at least half a foot taller than MJ (who was 5'0 at that time.) He wore a gray hoodie with the arms cut off and jeans.

"Sorry for scaring you, but you looked like you were having trouble with your locker." He smiled brighter and MJ's heart fluttered, his eyes were a warm brown borderline red.

"Y-Yeah, this is my first time with a locker, I was homeschooled most of my life and my old private school made us carry our books at all time!" MJ nervously shouted. His eyes widened at his dumb oversharing, his face turned crimson.

"Drystan, leave the poor new kid alone- You're scary 'em." A boy came up behind blond.

His hair was bleach blonde but his brown roots were obvious, it was tied back into a ponytail and his skin was the color of limestone. His eyes were hazel and had speckles of brown in their green color. The boy wore a gray flannel over a white shirt and jeans that scrunched up at his ankles.

"My name is Elliott Fletcher and this is my soulmate, Drystan Arlo." He smiled and offered a hand out to MJ.

MJ awkwardly shook his hand. "MJ Leblanc... It's... nice to meet you...?"

He chuckled. "So you need help with your locker?" His smile sent MJ soaring and back flip once he fell.

MJ nodded, face and ear glowing red. "This is my first time in public school. And my old school didn't have lockers."

He nodded. "Do you know how to rotate it?"

MJ shook his head 'no'.

"Well, Mr. I've-been-homeschooled-all-my-life." Elliott smiled and guided his hand towards the lock. "We have a lot to teach you about how these feral middle schoolers act."

-

They came to a backyard of a two-story brown house with a darker brown roof. One widow was dimly lit, from what MJ could the window was cover in stickers. Signaling that a child had to live there.

Kagekao hopped the fence and MJ followed, his breath catching as they approach the left side of the house right below the window.

Kagekao pulled out a little pebble from his pocket and tossed it toward the window, causing a small _clink!_ on impact.

MJ watched as a little boy with half his face burned and scared. His mocha-colored eyes were as wide as saucers. He opened the window and stuck his head out.

"M-MJ- Bubba...?" His voice was shaking and squeaky. It broke MJ's heart.

"Yeah- It's me, Owen. Listen to me-" MJ started but was cut off by Owen disappearing back into the house.

He cried and a woman yelled. MJ's eyes widened and his breath caught.

**_"B-Bubba! She's going to kill me! Help me!"_ **

MJ ran to the back door, Kagekao hastily followed behind him. He broke the lock on the door and ran inside, he ran past the dark kitchen and to the living room where he saw the stairs. He jumped over the couches and bolted up the stairs.

He didn't hesitate to burst into the room where he heard the noise. Cassandra turned to him snarling. His baby brother slumped against the wall crying.

"Why the fuck are you in my house you bitch!?" She snapped and MJ lunged towards her, fist balled and ready to brawl.

Kagekao ran past and grabbed Owen. He left the room with the boy screaming and crying in his arms. MJ didn't give it a passing glance, he couldn't while fighting.

They both had gotten a few punches on each other. Cassandra raised her fist to punch MJ's bloody face. He caught her wrist and kneed her stomach. She stumbled backward, allowing MJ to punch her in the jaw. A sicking crack rang in the room.

MJ raised his foot and kicked her in the chest, sending her staggering back into the window where her hand was able to catch the wall. She sputtered and coughed, panting with tears streaming down her face. Her complexion was bloodied and broken, her chestnut hair was ravaged, some stuck to her face from the amount of blood.

"Tell Ingrid I don't miss her, will ya?" MJ cackled as he drew his hand back, a bright blue fire engulfing it. He threw his last punch. Her hand lost grip on the window, tears poured from her eyes as she realized she would die.

MJ watched as she fell from the window. His face contorted into fear as he realized that he had just murdered the woman. He clasped his bloody hand over his mouth as he heard her body hit the ground with a thump.

He heard Kagekao and Owen enter the room.

**_"Y-you just... killed.... her..."_ **

**_MJ turned to his baby brother, his hands and face covered in blood. Tears poured from his eyes and he shook. The beaten boy collapsed to his knees. He let out a strangled cry. Scaring the other two in the room._ **


	33. Clean up and Pack Pt 3

Owen had grabbed a towel to wipe the blood from MJ's face and hands. Kagekao informed them they should leave to avoid trouble with the police until MJ pointed out the sigils on the fence. They were seeling charms that didn't allow people outside of the house and fence to hear

Genji had jumped out of his bag while they were running to get here and was now patrolling the fence.

It was quiet in the room as MJ cleaned the blood off of himself.

"Bubba...?" Owen asked quietly.

"Yeah pumpkin?"

"W-why did you k-kill C-Cassandra...?" He stuttered.

MJ let out a dark growl. His head snapped up and Owen stumbled back, throwing his arms up over his face and head.

"Please don't hit me!"

MJ froze before gently offering his hand out. "Oh, peanut..." MJ spoke with tears in his eyes. "I never meant to kill her but I lost control when I saw what she was doing to you..."

Owen dropped his hands and grasped onto the hem of his shirt to fidget with.

"Baby... I won't hurt you... I would never do that. Come on, let's go see sissy, okay...? You can take what you want, alright?"

Owen began to cry.

"She'll be so happy to see you!"

The little boy threw himself into his big brother's arms. "Promise...?"

"Pinkie swear, pipsqueak."

Kagekao returned from exploring the house with a bag in one hand and Genji in the other. MJ grew confused at Genji's nonchalant behavior, he didn't allow anyone to hold him except for...

MJ shook his head and cocked his head to the side. "Why are you holding Genji?"

"He got lazy and barked at me till I carried him inside, Kekeke." He held the fox and the bag out.

"Thanks- Owen, can you gather some of your things?"

Owen nodded and began to collect some clothing from his drawers. MJ set Genji and the bag down on the bed.

He took the towel he had thrown over his shoulder and began to clean the bloodstains on the white walls. 

"Bubba...?"

"Yes, Owen?"

"Are you a girl or a boy...?" He asked shyly.

"Valid question. I used to be okay being referred to as a girl, but now I go by MJ and not my old name. I also like when people use he/him when I'm spoken of."

"So, I have two big brothers now instead of all sisters!? Cool!" He smiled and MJ melted.

"Why are you so darn cute!?" MJ laughed.

Owen smiled again and placed his clothing into the backpack. He looked over to a small baby-blue blanket on the bed frame, he grabbed it and draped it over his shoulders.

"Is that your blanket that you would have Eddie wrap you in?"

The little boy nodded then he looked over to his pillows, a teddy bear that was the length of his torso laid amongst the pillows.

"Can I take Carlito?" He asked.

"Oh- Yes you can, here, let me tie him to you." MJ grabbed the bear Owen's blanket, pressed the bear against Owen's back, and tied two corners of it around the little boy's neck and the lower to corners around his belly. "There, Kagekao, can you carry the bag-"

"I'm on it!" He laughed and snatched the bag from MJ's hands. MJ glared and sighed.

"Alright let's go get Quinn-"

"真剣ですか?"

( _"Are you serious!?")_

"まあ、私は笑っていません。!"

 _["Well, I'm not laughing!"]_ MJ snapped at Kagekao's question, who stared in shock at the boy's proper Japanese.

"Not stop gawking and hurry up! Quinn might be dead or worse!" MJ began to usher them out of house.

They left threw the backyard, but kept Owen's eyes away from Cassandra's dead body. They hopped the fence and followed MJ to the graveyard. They passed by houses that still slept soundly despite all that had happened in the hour and a half.

In the distance the trio could see a grave yard, a teenage girl ran past grave stone while something played a game similar to cat and mouse. MJ began to run even faster as the thing grabbed her by the hair and sent her flying backwards, barely missing a gravestone.

He stopped right as he hit the side walk. He turned to Kagekao. Genji settled next to the cobblestone entrance.

"Take Owen into the woods, I can't have him getting hurt, If something happens make sure he gets to Edith."

Kagekao nodded and grabbed the young boy's hand.

"No! NO! MJ don't leave me! You pinkie swore we would go see Eddie!" He cried, his cheeks turning a bright red as his tears slid down his cheeks.

MJ gripped the boy's shoulders and kissed his forehead. "Pumpkin, you need to be safe, I can't have you getting hurt or worse."

"B-But you- Don't- please!" He stammered out.

"Take him, we'll be done with this in at least 30 minutes..." MJ relented and broke into a sprint as he entered the grave yard, Genji followed behind him.

Owen cried harder as Kagekao picked him up and ran towards the the trees that started were graveyard fence ended.

-

Kagekao gently put the boy down onto the ground. He still kept a grip on his hand.

"I don't like you at all." Owen hissed with a shakey voice.

Kagekao had a soft spot for children, he knew that often times kids without parents latched onto siblings or older kids, he knew that from experience. Zalgo's family had watched over him for around 2 centuries before he left, and a majority of those two centuries his stuck to Zalgo's hip.

He gently untied the bear on the boy's back and handed it to him. "This bear brings you comfort, dosen't it?" It was pretty big, but it seemed old but well loved, like it had been hugged by other small children to comfort themselves long before this child came along.

Owen snatched the teddy from his hand and buried his face in it. "It's Mama's old teddy bear, then it was Mimi's, but she let me have it." His voice was muffled as he half buried his face in the fluff of the bear's coat.

"You should take a nap, I'll wake you up when he gets back, alright?"

Owen nodded and pressed his back against a tree he curled his knees up to his chest and used the bear as a pillow.


	34. Pt 4: Stress

Slender rubbed his temples as he was hit with another flash of horrifying images and memories. He clutched the kitchen counter and counted to ten, usually that's how long these episodes lasted.

He should have kept a better watch on Edith. This could have been avoided had he not ignored how she was. He saw that she was on the edge of snapping, and he ignored her.

Now the mansion was utter chaos due to the girl's powers becoming too unstable and pent up for her body. The rooms were distorted and everyone was experiencing her trauma through images and snippets of memories.

This child was borderline tortured for over half her life. Her memories were distorted and askew like she was trying to ruin them enough to forget them. One memory Slender could guess was about her mother, but he could not see the woman's face.

The only thing he could see was a pitch-black figure clasp her hand on Edith's shoulder and feeling immense fear as Edith turned her head to look at the figure. It reminded him of his own father...

In some of the memories, he could see Edith's siblings, these weren't as sad and terrifying as the other ones but they still gave off an intense feeling of longing and guilt.

Then there were the fire memories those were the worst pain-wise. He could smell burning flesh and hair, the amount of smoke could have smothered him to death. Though their were some strange memories that both seemed to belong to Edith but didn't fit in with her life.

Slender thought that she'd tire herself after a day or so, but at this point, she had been out of it for a week. He found out his brothers were planning to bring her siblings to the mansion. Despite his distaste for witches, it was something that was needed.

Though he would have preferred not having Kagekao and Toby retrieve them, not to mention Splendor had asked Zalgo to help cancel out the barrier that was around the Adler mansion. But his brother's rationale was that Kagekao was better at slipping away and Toby would do anything for Edith by all means necessary.

If he was right they should be at the Mansion within the next couple of hours.

-

Skylar stared out the window. He felt like a husk, now and then he felt something but usually he just was numb.

He clutched a fist full of his new messily cut hair.

The trees swayed in the wind. He saw a smudge of red hair emerge from the woods and he knew Mika had returned from her early morning walk.

But he stood up from his chair abruptly as he saw others follow her. He ran out of his room down the hall and stairs, Endora had gone to a party with his cousins so he had no fear of making a ruckus. Usually, these parties lasted hours and they wouldn't arrive home till late morning, meaning he had the whole house to himself.

He ran through the back parlor that led to the back yard and stepped out onto the porch heaving.

"Oh- What...?" He muttered as Mika ran up to him. He could recognize some of the people's faces though they stayed a good length away.

He could see Eurydice and Splendor wave happily at him. MJ waved gently, Owen was on his back waving happily at him. Smexy stood next to MJ and even more surprisingly Quinn Shay. He could also see a boy with goggles and a face mask stand behind Eurydice.

Then there was the man the stood slightly off from the group. He had long black hair one pair of red eyes and another pair of smaller yellow ones underneath. His skin was a dark bronze and Skylar swore he had more than one mouth. He wore a black leather jacket and a plain red shirt, his pants were leather and he wore a pair of black boots.

"Go get some clothes packed," Mika said, she looked excited for the first time in years.

Skylar looked towards MJ. His face was contorted with confusion.

"Listen to her dumbass!" MJ shouted at him. "Or do I have to drag your ass out of here!?" 

"Yeah! Listen to Bubba, Skylar!" Owen shouted.

Skylar sighed. "Oh, my stars... I don't have a say in this at all..."

"You don't," Mika said, "Now hurry up, Edith needs us."

Skylar blinked for a moment and froze for a moment. Then he swiftly turned and ran into the house.

-

"Ten bucks that Skylar is going to refuse going with us," MJ whispered to Eurydice as he leaned against the porch's railing.

"Don't say that, maybe he's changed since he came out, maybe he won't follow Endora as blindly as he used to," Eurydice murmured.

 _'You know he won't want to come, you know how he_ _is'_ Homa, Eurydice's familiar, a red panda remarked. Though she had never met Skylar, she could predict how it would go. 

Eurydice sighed.

-

Skylar sighed as he held out a bag that carried what he knew that Edith would need to Mika.

"You're not coming!?"

"Mika..."

"N-No! You don't get to do this- Why are you- What has this place done for you!?" She cried, MJ came up behind her.

"Come with us, please, I understand what you're going threw-"

"If I leave, Endora will never let us live in peace."

MJ snarled. "Does that even matter!? If you stay here she'll just torture you!"

"MJ..." Skylar murmured.

"She needs you! We need you! You're our family too- **From cradle to grave**!"

"Skylar," Splendor spoke as he stood behind Mika and MJ. "You are apart of Edith's family, I doubt she'd want you to remain here, where we are going is someplace you'll have safety and can live without the judgment of your family."

He held a hand out. "We all ask kindly of you to come with us."

Skylar took in a shaky breath. "I'll be safe...?"

"Yes, you will, my brother will ensure that."

Skylar took his hand. "I'll go then..."

Splendor smiled and pulled him into a hug. "It's nice to see you, Skylar."

He gave a weak smile. "You too, Splendy."

-

"So, Eurydice, how gave you been? Owen questioned as he rode on Skylar's back, much to the older boy's dismay.

"I've been good, though the orphanage I was at was pretty shitty, so I burned it down with Toby!" They said with a smile and unwavering smile.

"Come again?" Everyone chorused as they stared at her and Toby.

"Well, I burned it down Toby just-"

"It doesn't matter Eurydice!" MJ snapped and went red in the face. "Do you know what the council will do if someone dies in that fire!?"

"K-Kind of..." She stuttered.

 **"Eurydice they will take your familiar** **away** **to torture you then they'll null your magic and then send you to your other family's home! Or they'll order you to have an arranged marriage!"** MJ snarled.

Eurydice flinched. "That's what they tried to do to me, that's what they'll do to you! I'm lucky I wasn't directly responsible but I am still on thin fucking ice! I know for a fact the next time they find me they'll kill me, they already threatened to kill Genji if I didn't agree to fall in line!"

"MJ you're scaring me-" Eurydice whimpered, he softened and his shoulders slumped. Quinn Shay grasped his arm and pulled him away, then stepped next to Skylar.

"Fuck... I'm sorry..." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Is it because of what happens to those mortal boys? The ones that were killed by a-" Skylar murmured, to which MJ quickly responded, and Quinn Shay nudged Skylar with her elbow.

"-Mirk?" He took in another deep breath, before looking over to the group of demons and a boy who stood a little far off. "What are you guy's staring at?"

"You just grew- like- another foot taller... Ha" Offender tried to joke but MJ could tell he was genuinely unsettled.

"Oh yeah, I'll explain once we get out of these woods." MJ quickly retorted again, with the small information they were given, the group of demons simply nodded.

"Well okay then, can we please hurry up so we can get some answers- and I'm hungry," Kagekao grumbled.

Toby glared at the demon. "D-didn't S-S-Slender te-tell y-you t-to-to e-eat?"

MJ held back his laughter. Mika, who was sleeping in Smexy's arms, grumbled and covered her ears.

"Fuck this, I'm going back to the Underworld, g'night you bastards." The man with long black hair proclaimed as he walked off into the shadows.

They all stared as the man disappeared into the darkness. Kagekao and Toby snorted and Splendor shook his head in disappointment. Smexy simply shrugged and adjusted how he held Mika.

"Right when I think he might just be a little bit of a nicer person." Splendor sighed before beckoning the young witches closer to them. The group merged with the Creepypastas, making little small talk but walking more or less calmly.

"Do you think that they might be looking for us at this point...?" Eurydice murmured with concern. "I made sure to evacuate everyone from the building, mainly the younger kids and the babies, I started the fire on the side of the building where the pantry and dining room is, not a lot of rooms are close to there."

"Doesn't matter, if even one person is hurt you will be hunted down and trialed," MJ stated. "They don't care what happened or your reasoning."

He crossed his arms over his chest then gripped his shoulders. Smexy gazed down at MJ, with a 'look of concern' on his face. "Are you speaking from experience...or....?"

MJ breathed. "It's difficult to understand without knowing all of the Courts rules and difficult for me to speak of..." Quinn put a hand on his shoulder. "But I will admit, I am speaking from personal experience, and I still have the scars from Mitsoka..."

Smexy huffed. "Every god damn time I see you, you always have more dark secrets under your belt."

"Yeah, bubba's a total dark edge lord, at least that's what Ma- Eddie says." Owen teased, his tiny nose screwing up as MJ snatched him away from Skylar and held him by his feet, hanging him upside down.

"You wanna call me an edge lord then suffer the consequences!" MJ proclaimed and Owen squirmed and laughed. The others chuckled or smiled softly at the two brothers playing.

-

In the distance a enormous dark old mansion began to form. The widows were lit and glowed with light that emitted from the inside it. A dark oak bench resided on the right side of the porch out looking the decently kept yard.

Ivy grew down the front of the mansion contrasting against the black wood that the building was made of. A black and white cat rested on the railing of the porch.

"This is where Edith's been living for the past two years?" Skylar spoke softly, his eyes filled with amazement from the sheer size of the mansion, it made the Adler Estate look puny.

"Yup! Though please be careful, we are accepting of newcomers but everyone has been in a bad place for the last couple of days." Splendor spoke with caution in his voice. In return the witches and Owen nodded a murmured quiet responses.

As they approached the porch, Ceder Bug (Mika's familiar, who she summoned after she was given magic by the Courts) Natsuki (Who Quinn Shay found while she was out on patrol with MJ one night after MJ gave her some of his magic), and Genji growled.

They prowled to the side of the porch. "Ji, was is it boy?" MJ called to the fennec fox.

 _|I smell creature.|_ Genji growled. _|I smile widemouth|_

"That little demon fucker?" MJ hissed.

"Let Natsuki and Genji at that little bastard." Quinn Shay snarled.

"Y-y-yes-s p-pleas-se th-that li-little mon-monster i-is th-the wo-worst." Toby uttered.

MJ nodded and the three demons disappeared under the porch. Sounds of animals snarling and barking so rang and dissolved as Ceder-Bug dragged the purple vermin out from the under the porch.

Genji proudly jumped. | _We did it! Elliott! Drystan! MJ! Quinn! 'Suki! Mazu! Lycus!_ | Then he stopped. Natsuki rubbed her head against his. Quinn Shay patted MJ's back.

Splendor cleared his throat. "Let's just let Widemouth go and get inside. Maybe this will scare him into behaving."

MJ swallowed. "Yeah." He murmured.

The familiars grumbled as the demon scuttled back under the porch. Genji whined and MJ picked him up and put him in the messenger bag that somehow survived the fight with the Mirk.

Toby scratched the cat on the porch railing before approaching the door, with the other following him, the opened the old dark wooden door that lead into an enormous gothic styled-Foyer.

"They're here!" A small girl's voice rang, MJ looked up at the stairs to see a girl with glowing green eyes with tawny colored skin and brown frizzy hair, she wore a pink dress. She would have looked like a normal little girl, though, the blood dripping down the center of the face threw it all off.


	35. Reunion

The girl disappeared upstairs, shouting that they had arrived. Toby ran up after her and Kagekao stalked off into the livingroom was barely visible livingroom. Owen grasped onto MJ's index finger, MJ smiled softly, fondly remembering when Owen was a infant.

Genji shuffled in his bag, whining about how he wanted out. The fox poked his head out of the bag, with a look in his silver eyes that just showed how much he wanted to cause mayhem.

"Nope. Not today Satan."

Quinn Shay snorted at the pair, grateful that Natsuki was a good girl who often didn't bother her. The red fox nuzzled her head against Quinn's leg.

"How is it that, MJ, who is possibly the most mature of us, has the most chaotic and immature familiar." Skylar questioned as he stared at the now bickering fox and witch.

Mika grumbled and she squirmed in Smexy's arms. "Oh, good morning." He murmured softly.

"Morning..." She yawned and patted Smexy's head. "Let me down, please."

Smexy gently let the red haired girl down, she rubbed her eyes and Smexy pulled her hair out of her face.

"Wow, this place is huge." She muttered softly.

"How'd you sleep?" Eurydice asked happily.

"I slept good, how was the walk?"

"Tiring, but I wore my good walking shoes, so it wasn't so bad on my feet."

Mika nodded, her gaze fell onto the stairs as many people scampered down the stairs. She snarled as she recognized a man who she had last seen 8 years ago.

The air around the witches swiftly changed. It seemed as though he knew it to because he put his arms up and stopped several feet away from them.

"Listen, before one of you pop me in the mouth, I apologize." Tim spoke. "Edith nearly broke my nose."

MJ scowled and Skylar snarled. Just as they moved forward, Quinn Shay blocked them and Owen clung to MJ's hand.

"Be nice. That goes for both of you." She hissed. They scoffed and rolled their eyes.

"Truce then...?" Tim asked awkwardly.

"Yes, but you sir are on thin fucking ice." Skylar growled.

"Ow!" He yelped and a faint jingle of a bell rang in the air. "That hurt Splendor-"

"So you must be Edith's siblings."

They looked over to a another freakishly tall man, his skin was as pale as snow and he had no trace of facial features. He wore a simple white shirt that was rolled up at the his forearms. He was a lot thinner than Smexy and Splendor but still some muscle. His demeanor was serious but relieved.

He froze for a moment and looked around. The group shuddered, the energy in the building shifted very intensely then settled.

"Was that Edith..." Skyar muttered.

"That had to be. Energy dosen't just shift and settled so abruptly. It feels like someone just woke up from a nightmare."

-

Edith clutched the thin blanket that had been placed over her. She panted and murmured incoherently.

She threw herself forward and opened her eyes. She groaned as she felt sore, she pushed her hair out of her face. Her back felt heavy and she saw that white feathers laid askew on the sheets. She grunted as she straightened her back out, feeling sore from over use of her magic.

She looked down at her bandaged arm and the memories flooded back to her so vividly, every single detail and moment. "How long was I out...?" She kicked the blankets off of her, she hoped not to long. _Everything hurts_

She ran her fingers over her newly formed wings. They were white but faded into black, similar to a Gryfalcon. She expanded her wings, and gave a small flap. _It's been a long time since I've_ _felt_ _this heavy..._

She could recall the days when her wings would painfully grow, and how heavy it felt to let them drag behind her. She could remember her Grandmother pouring some type of oil over her plumage, how her fingers would work the oil into every crevice of her appendages.

She would sink into her pillows and maybe even drift off to sleep. She would faun over her pretty feather once her grandmother's voice awoke her fron her euphoria enduced trance.

She'd stretch out her wings and flap, her grandmother would laugh at her giggly nature. She always had a sad look in her eyes though, and she would get lost in her thoughts.

On some days it was worse and those days she would bring her grandmother tea and sit with her, allowing the old woman's hands to run down her feathers.

She grandmother would sip at her tea and hum a small lullaby. Edith could still recount her grandmother's tune, and on nights when things got rough she'd hum to herself.

She knew her grandmother had missed her twin. Aisling, the legacy who had come before her had gone missing and her body was never found. Her grandmother never got to say goodbye, but when she held Edith for the first time she got to say Hello.

She gently stood up, shivering from the slight chill of the mansion. She looked around the infirmary of the mansion and spotted a lavender pullover hoodie.

She tugged it over her form, her wings folded and returned to the tattoos on her back. She now realized that all she wore were leggings and her spaghetti strap shirt. Her hair felt longer and a lot less curly, to her disappointment.

She stuck her hands in the pockets to find a pair of thick black socks that felt soft but the bottom felt rubbery. She pulled them on, feeling satisfied enough to finally leave the infirmary.

As she trudged out the door, she felt a rush of energy, it wasn't like pastas energy, it was different in a certain way.

She gingerly grasped the railing of the stairs. She could hear familiar voices, and those of people she hadn't seen in a very long time. The foyer came into full vision.

_Her_ _heart_ _skipped a beat at the sight of her siblings._


	36. Family

Edith didn't know how she got down the stairs so fast. Or how she made it past all the pastas without them noticing. The only thing she knew was that in the very next moments she was clinging to all of her siblings while sobbing.

They to were clinging her and sobbing, Owen had his chubby arms around her neck, Eurydice hugged her side, MJ had his- she could guess from how he was dressed and the sticker on his bag he was trans, it matched the one Toby had on his bed frame- arms around all of them, and Mika hugged her from her other side.

Skylar hugged her, squishing poor Owen in the process. Quinn Shay was with them to- though she considered her family- she did her best to hug Edith despite the distance from the sheer amount of children that blocked the way.

 _"Oh gods- I- I never thought I'd see any of you again-"_ She sobbed and laughed. " _You all look so different- MJ, Skylar, you guys look so different now-"_

"Yeah- W-we know you-u jerk-k-" MJ sputtered threw his tears.

"The sticker on your bag l- I always kinda guessed that Skylar was never a girl but I- _Crap_ \- I-I'm so dense-"

" _Mama_ , you're making me cry more-" Owen murmured. He had called her Mama since they had taken him from Cassandra's after they left New York, she didn't mind it, she had always been his mother when Ingrid would fail.

"Haha, stop crying you utter babies-" Edith smiled while she sniffled, Owen still clung to her, she held him closely to herself. " _How the hell did you two get so tall?"_

MJ and Skylar laughed. Quinn Shay pulled a handkerchief from her pocket, whipping her tears away before offering it to Edith. "Thank you Quinn- It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too, Edith." She replied and whipped her face again with her sleeve. Edith whipped her tears away with the fabric.

"So this is where you've lived for the past two years?" Mika questioned.

"Yes- Here let me introduce you to the Creepypastas." She turned toward the residents of the mansion to see them whipping their own faces. _"Did I cause you all to_ _break_ _out the water works?"_

They glared at her threw teary eyes. Edith laughed shyly. "Sorry for my dramatic reaction."

"Just get on with introducing your family." Slender spoke, though she could tell his voice was less harsher than before.

She cleared her throat. "Alright, everyone these are my siblings,"

-

_**Creepypasta's pov** _

Edith pulled a tall, sinewy, boy forward, he had short spiky black hair that fell over his almond shaped eyes- one was milky white with two claw shaped scars under it, the other was a pale lavender and had one curved scar passing right threw the middle. He had a small scar that went across his lips and one that went over the bridge of his nose, as well as another that sliced down his right cheek.

He wore a white fitted Henley shirt with a black long sleeve shirt under it, the arms were rolled up to his elbow, showing off scars against his warm beige skin. A pale blue hoodie was tied around his waist and carried a messenger bag at his side. A fox with sandy-colored fur and comically big ears stuck his head out of the bag.

"This is MJ, my brother-" Her brow furrowed. "I can't tell if you guys are feeling intimidated."

"Why the fuck does he look like _Zuko_ from _Avatar the last airbender_?" BEN remarked with a snarky smile.

MJ snorted, covering his mouth to hide his smile and stop himself from laughing. The girl that had given Edith a handkerchief rolled her small angular eyes.

"Ben! Watch what you say around young children!" Splendor snapped, Slender shook his head.

Edith sighed. She handed the boy she had in her arms to MJ. "This is Owen, he's our baby- refrain from harming him or we will harm you."

The boy looked out over them, shyly smiling and giving small wave. He wore a light blue tshirt, black sweats, and wore black and white converse. His hair was a bleach blond, and his eyes were a soft mocha. Part of his face was covered in a bright red burn mark. He held a small powder blue baby blanket in his hands.

"Hi..." He murmured before he giggled nervously.

**\- Slender POV**

I let out an inaudible sigh as the little boy waves his hand, giggling softly after. He reminded me of Splendor, before he became his extroverted self.

I practically raised Trender and Splendor, after our parents died and I realized that our grandmother and other relatives found us intolerable. The best I could do for them was live with Zalgo until I grew old enough to officially become their caretaker.

Splendor was, by human age- rather than Ender age, in which he was about 90-ish years- was barely 8 when we first moved to the mansion. I was barely 20, in human years of course, though after my 500th Ender birthday I stopped aging and my human form froze in a mid twenties look.

I don't know if was the nostalgia or my desire for a family, but the tiny boy made my heart swell, something I hadn't felt since I found Sally.

-

**_Creepypasta's POV/ 3rd person_ **

Edith pulled a frail, bony, awkward looking boy next to her. His hair was choppy as though a child had cut it. He wore a gray sweater with a button up underneath and normal denim jeans.

His skin was a raw sienna color. And his whole vibe gave off social awkwardness.

"And this is my _womb-mate_." Edith joked and a few chuckles erupted.

"Oh my god, they were womb-mates." Jeff replied threw his own snickers.

"Seriously though, this is- Do you still go by your birth name?"

The boy nodded. "But sometimes I go by Daniel." Edith nodded, and the boy was noticeably relieved by her acceptance.

"Well, is Skylar Daniel Adler, my twin brother. Aswell as the one of the group's brain cells."

"You can say that again-" Tim quickly shut his mouth as he earned a glare from almost the entire group.

"Silence you fucked-up-lungs fucker- OW- Mother of pearl-" MJ snapped back though unable to finish his sentence due receiving a slap on his noggin.

"Swear jar-" The girl next to MJ hissed with a smile on her face.

"Yeah- yeah- Have my lunch money ya'-" Splendor peered at him with a frightening gaze.

Edith cleared her throat. "All of you- even you Splendor- knock it off."

A chorus of 'yes ma'am' emitted from the group.

"Moving on," Edith spoke with minor embarrassment in her voice, she brought another girl- who just a moment ago was speaking to MJ- forward. "This is Quinn Shay Ito."

She was a little shorter than Edith, but she was still tall for a 14 year old. Her hair was long, and they mean really long, it was waist length they wondered if it was heavy due to how thick her hair looked. She had stormy grey eyes and dark olive colored skin.

She wore a white sweater with a black button up underneath. She wore a white rose pin in her hair.

"It's very nice to meet you all!" She said with a very mischievous yet sinister grin, her eyes lit up with chaos. _"I hope_ _we_ _get_ _along just so_ **_swell_**."

A voice came from behind the pastas. "No... No... please... not you two, I still have nightmares from your pranks..."

Everyone turned to see the notorious fashion designer. Trender shook and he gripped the railing of the stairs.

 ** _"Hey old pal!"_** MJ growled, a pure psychotic sneer, matching Quinn Shay's.

 **"Hey there Mr. Talorman! It's been a while hasn't it!?"** Quinn Shay taunted him.

 ** _"Phobos..."_** He looked over at Quinn Shay, whose sneer grew wider at the alias. He looked at MJ and he shuddered. **_"Deimos..."_**

He turned his head to another child. "I'm not dealing with the _**Terror Twins or Eris!**_ **Not again! Never again!"**

"That's enough, Toby, please show our the new comers to their rooms. If sharing a room wouldn't be a problem could you please stay with one of your colleagues?" Slender asked looking at Quinn Shay who had been an unexpected party member. "At least until I can make the mansion listen to me again, then I can make you a room."

"Oh, that's fine! I practically share my room 99.9% with MJ anyway."

"With one of the girls, please."

"She doesn't feel any romantic or any other attraction to anyone- the only thing she feels about me personally is that I am her annoying clingy little brother." MJ replied, with a voice mocking a News Anchorman. "I am not even joking."

"He's not." Quinn Shay added. "I also don't like being split up from him- it's more of a habit for us to stay when we go anywhere."

Slender sighed. "Fine. You may temporarily share a room. And, please go have a check up in the infirmary, Ann should be back in the Infirmary in an hour. "

MJ gave a small "Yes!"

And the boy and a couple of other pastas lead them to their rooms.


	37. Beginnings

Eurydice and Homa entered their new room, almost having a heart attack in the process.

It had been nine years since they had last seen their childhood bedroom. Or the layout at the very least.

The bed was directly infront of the door. The bed frame was pink engravings of dragons breathing fire caused her throat to clamp up.

They shut the door. Eurydice walked over to the bed, flopping down on the light pink comforter with little strawberrys littering the fabric.

It smelled like home. Safety. Love. Words Eurydice hadn't really known in a very long time.

They could remember their Aunts scolding her about how she shouldn't be attempting to wiggle herself out of bed. That her cousins would take care of her until she got better.

She sobbed into the comforter. Memories they buried of their family and mothers flowed into their mind. It had been so long since something had felt safe to feel emotions again.

-

Owen clung to Mama's hand. He felt so small compared to this house. He felt as though it fit his Mama perfectly, she was so big and tall compared to his small size, it brought him piece of mind that he'd be safe with her.

They followed a boy that had hatchets attached to his back. Every once in a while he'd twitch or grunt and maybe pop one of his joints. He was a little tense, that made his Mama tense too.

They dropped Eurydice off at her room, then MJ and Quinn Shay (who he could vaguely remember) Now only Skylar, Mika, Mama, and him remained.

Soon they dropped off Mika and Ceder-Bug -Mika's unimpressed familiar-, down the Hall from Bubba and Quinn. A lot farther down and right next to a bright pink door.

"Th-this i-is you-'re ro-room-" The boy stuttered. Mika and the lynx entered without hesitation, muttering a thanks.

"Don't take that personal Tobster, she's not one for conversation." Mama told him, with a soft smile on her lips. The boy blushed.

He blushed.

"Mama?" He said, pulling on her sleeve.

She looked down at him, her silver curls fell into her her face. A lump formed in his throat, it had been so long since he had seen her. Since he was able to hold her hand and speak to her face, he remembered rambling to her about mushrooms or plants.

Or how he admired Bubba, how cool his Older brother's fire magic was. How much he loved Skylar's teaching of Math and English.

"Can I you hold me?"

She smiled. "Sure I can." She lifted him into her arms, making the little boy grin.

"S-Sk-Skylar y-you're r-room i-is n-next t-to E-Edith's-s" The boy stammered. Owen smirked, knowing he had got his attention mama's full attention.

"I can take over from here, Toby." Mama gave him one last small smile and gestured Skylar to follow. When she had turned her back to the stuttering boy, Owen gave him the most sinister smile. Which Skylar had noticed, causing his older brother to quietly snort.

The hatchet welding boy's brow furrowed. Then he turned to walk farther down the hallway. Trudging and dragging his feet. Owen felt a small sliver of sympathy but that faded when he soon became sleepy in his mama's arms. He didn't want anyone taking this from him, not again.

-

...

...

...

A man smiled as he looked at the dead woman. Her blue eyes dull and her face half burned. He felt his ears twitch, his red hair became even a brighter and his eyes were ablaze.

"Seems like our son takes after me, don't cha' think?" He turned to the blonde. Her face half covered in an inky darkness. She glared at him, pure seething hatred burned in her frost colored eyes...

_**How ironic** _

"He isn't anything like you! Haven't you listened to those boys!? He was in love with them and so were they, I doubt you are capable of any sort of love-"

"I let you have a chance to keep them, _**didn't I?"**_ He spoke back to her. "I let you have a chance with your mother and dear little MJ, then with Hoshimi and with our beautiful son."

He cocked his head to the side. "And I'm letting your bastard of a father live, even after he let your family rot. And I'm going to let that Oracle bastard live because you claim you need them, even though they favor that bratty blood traitor's child ."

She gritted her teeth. "And his soulmates?"

"My decision is still pending dearest, I cannot guarantee their survival until you let me have the _**Winged Adler as mine."**_

" _Not a chance_ , I'm not letting you use my Niece like you're using your _**Seraphina and Rosabella."**_

He sighed. "Must you be so stubborn, Treasure?" He grabbed her face and brought himself close to her. "I could simply _**make her**_ **_bear my fledglings once,_** then I could take one of them and let her have the other. Then I'd return her to the Covens, _**destroy Endora**_ and put the girl right where she belongs, I'd even return the chick to her once I conquered the Underealms."

"She'd die before she'd let anything happen to her chicks, you know this. You saw how she threw herself infront of the children during the incursion!" She pulled away from him.

"She has a **_breaking point_**. A **_weakness_**. I will exploit that."

"Tsh... She'll kill you, like the prophecy promises." Darcy looked over behind the Dark Elf, looking the two teenage boy covered in darkness, the sun was rising and they would soon return to Beacon. "You'll regret the day you took those important to the people who are now deadly threats to you."

Volkan shrugged. Then looked back down at the corpse, he poised his hand over her, azure fire roared from his hand leaving nothing but ashes behind.

-

Skylar sat on Edith's bed, next to his baby brother. He heard the shower turn on and Edith returned from the bathroom. "Do either of you want to shower?"

"I need to! Cassandra never let me use hot water so I've just opted out of them for the last couple of days, the cold makes my bones hurt." Owen replied, the happiness in his eyes broke both twins' hearts.

"O-okay... Have you picked out some clothes you want to wear?" Edith smiled at him.

"Yeah!" He showed her his pants and his t-shirt with a cartoon tabby cat printed on it.

"You're all set then, you should go make sure the water isn't to hot."

Owen grinned. "Okay!" And he disappeared into the bathroom.

Edith threw herself into Skylar's arms. Sobbing, pleading with him to forgive her for leaving and asking if she was just like their mother.

Skylar held her, hoping her tears would soon subside before their baby brother came out of the shower.


End file.
